'Disgusting'. 'Tense' atmosphere in Kyiv ahead of Trump-Putin meeting – FT

Ukrainian authorities are concerned about meeting of the US president Donald Trump and dictator Vladimir Putin in Alaska, states Financial Times, citing unnamed officials of the state.

"Sickening," is how one of the anonymous Ukrainian officials described the scene, which was broadcast live, when the US president was laughing next to the dictator, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on suspicion of war crimes.

A high-ranking official close to the president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told the FT that the mood among the head of state's inner circle late on August 15 was "tense."

The Ukrainian president's closest aides told the media that they are concerned that "they are being excluded from discussions about the future of their country." One official who participated in an online conversation between Zelenskyy, European leaders, and Trump on August 13 described the US president's intentions as "very ambiguous."

"One day he talks about sanctions, the next about a three-way meeting. Then he completely reverses course. None of it makes sense," the official said.

Another Ukrainian official characterized Trump as follows: "He says he wants peace, but he’s unwilling to take the necessary steps to get there."

• During the conversation on August 13, the partners announced to Trump a number of principles for the negotiations, including that legal recognition of the occupied territories by the Russian Federation is not discussed.
• Bloomberg sources say that the US is considering threatening sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil, for Putin to agree to a truce.
• Trump-Putin meeting starts in Alaska – The New York Times details in the chronicle by LIGA.net.