Vladimir Putin

As they were going to see the military parade in Tiananmen Square, an ambient microphone has picked up the conversation between the Russian and Chinese presidents. "Before, it rarely reached the age of 70, but today it is said that at the age of 70 you are still young," Xi tells Putin through his interpreter.

Russian President Xi Jinping this Sunday told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that China and India must be "friends and good neighbours."

In a place and a day yet to be determined, the rendezvous seems increasingly feasible, as both leaders may meet in Geneva or Budapest. In this context, Europe is working to impose new sanctions on Russia.

After this possible bilateral meeting, the US president would also join the talks. Zelenski has offered Trump to buy weapons worth EUR 77 billion in exchange for providing security guarantees for Ukraine. 

The US president, who will call Putin after Monday's meeting, has been optimistic about the possibility of Putin and the presidents of Russia and Ukraine holding a tripartite meeting.

"If all goes well, I think we're going to have a trialogue, and with that I think there's going to be a reasonable chance to end the war," Trump stressed to Zelensky, who said Ukraine is "ready" for a trialogue. "I think we've shown that we're strong people and that we support the idea of the US and President Trump himself to stop the war," he said.

"Russian war machines continue to destroy lives. Putin will commit terrible killings to contain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts." Volodomir Zelenski has declared in his X social network account . Zelenski has made these statements following the attacks that have left seven dead in Kharkov and three dead in Zaporiya.

This will be one of the issues that Trump and Zelensky will address at Monday's summit.

Ukraine's president has stressed the importance of a common front for "just peace."

According to the British Financial Times, the meeting will be conditioned by Russia's demands, Donetsk and Lugansk, to secure a peace agreement.

In this context, Trump and Zelensky will meet on Monday at A0Washington to discuss all the details of the summit in Alaska. 

Donald Trump is meeting Vladimir Putin in Alaska today at a meeting full of doubts: the US president avoided criticizing the Russian leader in the past and has hardened his speech in recent months, but doubts remain whether he will maintain that firmness or seek a rapprochement with Moscow.

The US president has said there is a 25% chance that the meeting will not succeed, while the Kremlin has warned that no formal agreement is expected to be signed.

Friday's meeting comes surrounded by uncertainty: Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski will not intervene and little progress is expected for a ceasefire or peace process.

According to Macron, the US president has confirmed by videoconference that NATO will not be involved in Ukraine's security guarantees. Moreover, the French president has explained that Trump has assured them that only Zelensky will negotiate the territories that Ukraine is supposed to cede to Russia.

"The citizens of Ukraine must be free to decide their future. The path of peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine." They warn that a ceasefire is essential for any progress.

Zelenski has called for his presence at the summit announced by Trump and Putin to discuss the end of the war in Ukraine, as well as European participation.

It is not yet clear whether Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski will be represented in this meeting to try to reach an agreement.

On the other hand, the Russian president has been willing to meet Zelensky. "I have said many times that I have nothing against it," Putin said, adding that "certain conditions" must be created for that meeting, which, in his view, are "far from being fulfilled."