Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team are doing everything in their power to influence President Trump's thinking before he sits down with Vladimir Putin. His last big chance could come on Wednesday.

Why it matters: Zelensky is staring down a perfect storm: a sudden Russian battlefield breakthrough, mounting discontent at home, and a high-stakes summit in Alaska on Friday that could back him into a diplomatic corner.

The big picture: Trump is expected to hold a virtual meeting Wednesday with Zelensky and a group of European leaders, two sources with knowledge of the plans tell Axios. • Zelensky has been downplaying Russia's recent gains and working the phones to leaders in Europe and beyond to hedge against an unfavorable outcome in Alaska.

Behind the scenes: After a ser

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