OTTAWA — Canada’s government, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, has reiterated its strong support for Ukraine as U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepare for talks in Anchorage, Alaska. The discussions, scheduled for today, will focus on a potential land swap involving territories held by Ukraine and those claimed by Russia, although Ukraine is not included in the negotiations.

The Kremlin announced that the talks will begin at 11:30 a.m. local time, which is 3:30 p.m. ET. According to Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, the meeting will start with a one-on-one session between Trump and Putin, followed by discussions with their respective delegations. Ushakov indicated that the talks would continue over a working breakfast, and a joint news conference is planned, although Trump later stated that no final decision has been made regarding the press conference.

Trump expressed a 25 percent chance of failure for the summit but suggested that if the meeting goes well, he might invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to join them for a subsequent three-way discussion. He warned of "very severe consequences" for Russia if Putin does not agree to halt the invasion of Ukraine after their meeting. Trump also mentioned the possibility of extending his stay in Alaska depending on the outcomes of the talks.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov tempered expectations for significant breakthroughs, stating that no documents are planned to be signed and predicting that it would be a "big mistake" to forecast the results of the negotiations. Concerns have been raised by both Zelenskyy and European leaders that the U.S.-Russia summit could marginalize their interests, potentially favoring Moscow and jeopardizing Ukraine and Europe’s security by encouraging further Russian aggression.

In response, Prime Minister Carney engaged in discussions with European leaders and spoke directly with Zelenskyy earlier this week. He emphasized that Canada and its partners are united in their belief that Ukrainians should determine their own future. Carney stated, "Diplomatic efforts must be reinforced by military and economic pressure on Russia to end its unjustified war of aggression," and expressed support for U.S. leadership in achieving a lasting peace in Ukraine.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand also communicated with her Ukrainian counterpart, asserting that borders cannot be altered through violence. She affirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting Ukraine through diplomatic, military, and economic means to hold Russia accountable for its actions.

Analysts stress the importance of Western unity in supporting Ukraine, as Putin aims to weaken the resolve of NATO allies. Eitvydas Bajarunas, a former Lithuanian ambassador to Russia, noted that Canada and other nations must demonstrate unwavering commitment to counter Moscow's strategy of dividing Western allies. He stated, "Putin has understood his strength is to outsmart the West, to outmaneuver the West, to wait until the West starts to crumble."

Olga Tokariuk, a fellow at a think tank in Kyiv, suggested that an ideal outcome for Ukraine would be for no agreement to emerge from the talks, which would prevent pressure for territorial concessions. She added that new U.S. sanctions on Russia would be beneficial if Trump perceives that Putin is stalling. "This war is not about territories of Ukraine. Russia has vast territories of its own. This war is about the destruction of Ukraine as a sovereign and independent state, as a state aligned with the West, as a democracy," Tokariuk said.

In recent days, Putin has broadened the agenda for the talks to include nuclear arms control and long-term peace conditions. Jason Israel, a former U.S. National Security Council adviser, remarked that Moscow is attempting to portray both Russia and the U.S. as influential nations that have restored relations after a period of diplomatic tension. He cautioned that any agreement on Ukraine, such as a ceasefire, would be difficult to implement without the consent of European leaders, who are not part of the discussions. Kyiv has long insisted that safeguards against future Russian attacks from its Western allies are essential for a sustainable resolution to the conflict. However, many Western governments have been reluctant to commit military personnel, while countries in the coalition, including France and the U.K., have sought U.S. security backing if necessary.