LONDON -- The eyes of the world will turn to Alaska on Friday for the meeting between President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin -- the first meeting between U.S. and Russian leaders since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Many analysts have framed the meeting as a coup for the Kremlin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not expected to attend. While Trump and Putin negotiate Kyiv's future, the Ukrainians will be absent. Trump said Wednesday that a potential second summit bringing Putin and Zelenskyy together is possible after the Alaska event. All along the 600-mile front line in southern and eastern Ukraine, it is war-weary Ukrainian troops who are deciding Putin's hand. Russian forces are still trying to grind their way
Ukrainian soldiers focus on daily battles as Trump and Putin prepare to meet

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