Vice President J.D. Vance says the upcoming August 15 meeting in Alaska between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely result in a peace proposal that leaves both Russia and Ukraine unhappy. In an interview on Fox News’s Sunday Morning Futures, Vance said the “very simple” expectation is that the talks will center on a settlement tied to the current front lines, aimed at stopping the fighting and saving lives.
Vance emphasized that President Trump must lead the negotiations, saying meaningful progress cannot happen without his direct involvement. He expressed doubt that a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the summit would be effective. According to Vance, the best path forward is for Trump and Putin to meet first, with a potential follow-up meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy arranged afterward.
The administration has confirmed it is working to set up a direct Putin–Zelenskyy meeting in the future. The White House has also floated the idea of a three-way peace summit, though Ukrainian leaders insist no deal is possible if it involves territorial concessions to Russia. President Zelenskyy has already rejected Trump’s suggestion of “swapping territories” as part of any agreement.
The Alaska summit will be the first time Putin has met with a major Western leader since 2021. The stakes are high, with both sides entrenched and Western governments watching closely to see if the meeting can open the door to a broader peace process.
