Residents in Russian-controlled Melitopol - a municipality in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, southeastern Ukraine - expressed mixed hopes ahead of Putin-Trump talks in Alaska on Friday, where the leaders will discuss U.S.-Russia relations and prospects for ending the conflict in Ukraine.
The Alaska summit will be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders in six years. It comes as the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, continues with no comprehensive ceasefire in place. Russian forces hold large swathes of territory in the east and south, including Melitopol, while Ukrainian troops press counteroffensives in multiple regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is not attending the Alaska talks, has warned that agreements made without Ukraine’s participation would be meaningless.
Alexander, a Melitopol resident, is among those hoping for a breakthrough.
“Well, I would like for some stability to appear in our life, so that there would not be these senseless human losses. So I hope that they will come to some positive decision,” he said. He added that life under Russian control had brought him “stability, positive moments and confidence in the future” he had not experienced before, citing “the size of my salary” as an example.
Sharing that sense of optimism, Anna, a Kherson native now living in Melitopol, described the meeting as “a very fateful event.” She said: “I just hope that everything will be resolved... we will forget about this whole conflict."
Roman, however, doubted the talks would succeed.
“Well, of course, they will try to reach an agreement, but the interests of Russia and America are completely diametrically different. Therefore, it is unlikely that there will be any effect from this."
Asked if Putin and Trump will be able to reach some kind of agreement, he responded "No, I don't think so."
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Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov drew attention in Anchorage on Friday when he arrived for a high-profile summit between US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin wearing a vintage sweatshirt bearing the Soviet-era “CCCP” emblem.
Ukraine has warned that delays in Western military and financial aid risk giving Russia time to strengthen its positions, with officials citing past pauses in support that led to territorial losses and heavier casualties.
Hopes for a Ukraine ceasefire have buoyed bond prices, but investors remain sceptical that Friday’s Trump–Putin summit will yield major breakthroughs.
The South Korean government has voiced “deep disappointment and regret” over visits by Japanese officials to a controversial war shrine in Tokyo, urging that any improvement in bilateral ties must be grounded in Japan’s willingness to confront its wartime past, the foreign ministry said on Friday.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 56 kilometres east of Gorgan in northern Iran early Sunday morning, according to preliminary seismic data.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would not negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, stressing that Kyiv must decide whether to pursue any territorial swaps with Moscow.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov drew attention in Anchorage on Friday when he arrived for a high-profile summit between US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin wearing a vintage sweatshirt bearing the Soviet-era “CCCP” emblem.
King Charles III of Great Britain and Queen Camilla attended the 80th anniversary commemoration VJ Day in Britain on Friday.
Ukraine has warned that delays in Western military and financial aid risk giving Russia time to strengthen its positions, with officials citing past pauses in support that led to territorial losses and heavier casualties.
Kabul’s streets were lined with white flags and decorated banners on Friday as Afghanistan marked the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power on 15 August 2021.
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