THE WHITE HOUSE is reportedly considering inviting Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Donald Trump’s talks with Russia.

The summit, which is to take place next Friday in Alaska, is seen as a potential breakthrough after weeks of expressing frustration that more was not being done to quell the fighting.

Yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the planned summit between the two, warning that any peace deal excluding Kyiv would lead to “dead solutions”.

French President Emmanuel Macron suggested that Zelenskyy join the talks.

“Ukraine’s future cannot be decided without the Ukrainians, who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years now. Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution, as their own security is at stake,” he wrote on X.

“I will continue to coordinate closely with President Zelensky and our European partners.”

Trump has not yet ruled out hosting a meeting between the two Eastern European leaders – a move that was previously shot down by the Kremlin.

Thhe White House is “open” to the idea, according to Washington media reports.

European leaders have said that the current line of contact between Russia and Ukraine could only be a “starting point of negotiations” and reiterated their “unwavering support for Ukraine.

In a joint statement, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, with the leaders of France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland and the European Commission, said: “Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities.

“The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.

“We reiterate that Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Budapest Memorandum, and successive Russian commitments.”

Zelenskyy said Ukraine was “ready for real decisions that can bring peace” but said it should be a “dignified peace”, without giving details.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with millions forced to flee their homes.

Three rounds of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have failed to bear fruit, and it remains unclear whether a summit would bring peace any closer.

Russian bombardments have forced millions of people to flee their homes and have destroyed swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine.

Putin has resisted multiple calls from the United States, Europe and Kyiv for a ceasefire.

He has also ruled out holding talks with Volodymyr Zelensky at this stage, a meeting the Ukrainian president says is necessary to make headway on a deal.

At talks in Istanbul last month, Russian negotiators outlined hardline territorial demands for halting its advance – calling for Kyiv to withdraw from some territory it controls and to renounce Western military support.

The Alaska summit would be the first between sitting US and Russian presidents since Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in June 2021.

With reporting by AFP