Trump speaks of "great progress" regarding Russia as European leaders participate in the Washington summit.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced "significant progress" regarding relations with Russia, as his envoy spoke of "Russian concessions" in the context of the Ukrainian conflict. This came at a time when European leaders were meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels, before heading to Washington to meet with Trump.

Trump wrote on his platform "Truth Social" after a summit with his Russian counterpart in Alaska, indicating "significant progress regarding Russia," without providing further details. In the same context, his envoy Steve Witkoff stated that Russia had made "some concessions" concerning five Ukrainian regions it declared annexed.

Witkoff clarified that the concessions include areas partially occupied by Russia, such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, in addition to the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. He expressed hope that the upcoming meeting between Trump and Zelensky would be fruitful.

In a related context, the "Alliance of the Willing," which includes European leaders, among them French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, met via video to discuss the security guarantees that would be offered to Ukraine as part of a potential peace agreement.

During the meeting, Macron called for "continued pressure" on Russian President Vladimir Putin, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed Trump's proposal to provide security guarantees to Ukraine inspired by the North Atlantic Treaty.

Von der Leyen added that there should be no restrictions on the Ukrainian armed forces or foreign aid, emphasizing the need for Ukraine to become a "stronghold" against potential invaders. European leaders confirmed they would attend the meeting in Washington.

At the same time, Trump is pressuring Ukraine to reach an agreement following his meeting with Putin, as sources indicate that the Russian president offered to relinquish some Ukrainian territories in exchange for larger areas elsewhere.

Trump stated that Ukraine must reach an agreement to end the war, noting that "Russia is a very powerful force." After the Alaska summit, Trump called Zelensky and informed him of Putin's offer to freeze the front lines if Kyiv relinquished Donetsk.

Zelensky rejected this request, while Trump expressed support for the idea of reaching a peace agreement without the need for a ceasefire agreement, indicating a shift from his previous stance.

European powers are seeking to arrange a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky to ensure Ukraine's presence at the negotiating table, focusing on strong security guarantees for Ukraine with U.S. participation.