That's what it's about

• The Ukrainian community in Switzerland followed the Alaska summit with concern – 20 Minutes spoke with some of them.
• All Ukrainians feel that Putin's treatment in Washington was a slap in the face.
• Many now fear that Zelensky will be pressured to cede territory at his meeting with Trump on Monday.
• There is little hope for a fair solution – some see a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops as the only solution for peace.

The Alaska summit ended without any concrete results, with Ukraine being considered the loser in international media reports. Trump emphasized the need to strive for a peace agreement rather than a mere ceasefire and reportedly could present a plan on Monday under which Ukraine would have to cede parts of the Donbass – including unoccupied territories – to Russia.

Alaska Summit

US President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. It will be the first face-to-face meeting between a sitting US president and Putin since the summer of 2021. Whether the Kremlin chief will also hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains to be seen.

Everything you need to know about the Alaska summit can be found in this overview.

• Trump calls for a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv and announces meeting with Putin in Alaska
• According to Eastern Europe expert Alexander Dubowy, Putin can only win at the meeting with Trump.
• Europe is backing Kyiv and is presenting its own Ukraine peace plan shortly before the Trump-Putin meeting.
• Zelensky and Merz have presented Trump with five positions on the Alaska summit via video call.

The Ukrainian community in Switzerland is following these developments closely and with great concern. 20 Minutes spoke with some of them. The outcome of the summit didn't surprise any of them. However, the way Putin was welcomed by Trump with a red carpet and applause was a slap in the face.

Territorial cessions would be insane

Anastasiia (28) emphasizes: There is an international criminal warrant against Putin. He should have been brought directly to The Hague. Instead, the red carpet was literally rolled out for him.

She is looking forward to the meeting between Zelensky and Trump with concern: Putin made it clear in Alaska that he would not back down from his maximum demands. The 28-year-old fears that Trump will put pressure on Zelensky to cede all the territories Russia wants to control. That would be pure madness, she emphasizes.

After three and a half years of war, she has little hope for a fair and peaceful solution. I feel only deep disgust for the Russian government.

On Monday they will only talk

Mariia (26) fled the Donbass region in 2022. Her parents still live in Ukraine, outside of Kyiv. After all the talks over the past few years, she no longer feels that these talks alone can change anything. Her expectations for the meeting in Washington are accordingly low: On Monday, too, they will only talk. Of course, it would be incredible if a fair solution were found – but that won't happen.

Do you think a peace agreement will be reached soon?

Yes, the current talks are certainly helping. Perhaps, depending on how willing the parties are to compromise. No, there are too many disagreements for that.

Relatives and friends in Ukraine have different perspectives on a possible end to the war: Some have lost sons or fathers. For them, surrender or territorial ceding would not be an option – otherwise, everything would have been in vain. Others, however, are infinitely tired of the war. They simply want peace – no matter the cost.

Only a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops will bring peace

Sasha Volkov (50) is also originally from Donbass. Part of his family still lives in the region. He finds the current situation frustrating and grueling. Watching the Alaska meeting was simply disgusting. Putin was able to spread his propaganda easily and unchallenged. At least Trump didn't agree to any deal over the heads of the Ukrainians. But that's very modest consolation.

In his opinion, Zelensky has no choice but to negotiate with Trump now: He has the upper hand. Ukraine does not want to and cannot gamble away its relationship with the US. However, Volkov is clear: only a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops will bring peace – for that, Ukraine will need a strong Europe.

Oksana (39) fled Donbass in 2022 while pregnant with two children. She is following the current talks with great concern."I fear that concessions will be made that will harm the Ukrainian people." She therefore expects Zelensky to stand up for his people on Monday. But she also believes that at some point, talks will no longer be enough: Action is needed.