Donald Trump is set for a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin on Friday, but appears to have sidelined Volodymyr Zelensky from this week's discussions

A diplomatic scramble unfolded Saturday after President Donald Trump announced he would meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, next week in Alaska, as European leaders rushed to understand the terms of the meeting and ensure Ukraine was not being left out of discussions about its future.

President Trump said Monday he plans to tell Russian President Vladimir Putin to “end this war” when they meet Friday in Alaska — and that he will include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the “next meeting.