Canada's Carney, Zelensky speak ahead of Trump-Putin peace talks in Alaska
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke by phone on Aug. 11, underscoring that Ukraine must be directly involved in any discussions on ending Russia’s war, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
The call came days before a bilateral meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Aug. 15 in Alaska. Carney and Zelensky welcomed Trump’s efforts to pursue a lasting peace for Ukraine but stressed that "international borders cannot be changed by force" and that any settlement must include "robust and credible" security guarantees.
"I am grateful for Canada’s support for Ukraine and our people," Zelensky said in a social media post. "We agreed that no decisions concerning Ukraine’s future and the security of our people can be made without Ukraine’s participation." He added that sanctions against Russia "must remain in force and be constantly strengthened" until Kyiv is included in negotiations and receives security guarantees.
Russia currently occupies nearly 20% of Ukraine: it seized and illegally claimed Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014, later declaring four more regions — Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson — as its own in 2022 following the launch of its full-scale invasion. The annexations, rejected by most of the world, have drawn widespread condemnation.
By August 2025, Russian forces had taken control of almost all of Luhansk Oblast and more than 70% of Donetsk (ncluding the city of Donetsk, the regional capital), Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts.
Since 2023, Moscow’s military efforts have centered on Donetsk Oblast, with sustained offensives aimed at capturing the key cities of Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka.
Speaking to reporters on Aug. 11, Trump described the upcoming meeting with Putin as a "feel-out meeting" and added that the Russian president wants "to get involved" and "to get over" the war: "At the end of that meeting, probably in the first two minutes, I'll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made."
He added that a follow-up meeting could include Zelensky and that he plans to speak with European leaders after talks with Putin.
On Aug. 8, Trump reportedly told Ukrainian and European leaders that the Kremlin may be open to talks if "land swaps" are included in the terms.
While the details remain unclear, a source in Ukraine’s Presidential Office told the Kyiv Independent that Moscow is seeking Kyiv’s full withdrawal from the partially occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in exchange for pulling its troops from limited areas it holds in northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
Putin has publicly set far broader demands, including a ban on Ukraine joining NATO and a complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the partially occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as conditions for negotiations.
Zelensky has rejected any territorial concessions and is calling for a ceasefire as the first step toward peace talks — a position supported by Ukraine’s European allies.
