The White House is keeping expectations low for President Trump's upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting is planned as a chance for President Trump to listen. Meanwhile, Russian troops are moving closer to a key city in eastern Ukraine.

Russia's Push in Eastern Ukraine

New images from the Russian military seems to show soldiers raising Russian flags near Pokrovsk. Russian and Ukrainian forces have been fighting over this city for over a year and a half. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says Ukraine is fighting back against this new Russian push.

Zelenskyy stated that they are working to fix the situation,

especially around Dopilia and Pokrovsk. He thanked the soldiers who are fighting the enemy in the Kharkiv, Zaprigia, and Sunumi regions. He emphasized the effort to give Ukraine the protection it needs.

People near Pokrovsk are moving to safer areas. Boilers, a town less than 25 miles from Pokrovsk, has suffered heavy damage due to the nearby fighting.

A resident of Boilers said that there was shooting everywhere.

Homes are destroyed. People are leaving everything behind, only taking what they can carry.

Russia's recent gains are some of the biggest in months. Small groups of Russian soldiers have pushed about 6 miles forward between Pokrovsk and another town, Constantin. This advance threatens supply routes and could lead to a larger push towards areas of Donetsk still held by Ukraine. The largest cities still under Ukrainian control are Crematorsk, Slavansk, and Constantin.

Some members of the Ukrainian military have admitted that there are large gaps in their defense lines. They say that Ukraine doesn't have enough soldiers and that Russian drones are easily destroying Ukrainian positions.

President Zelenskyy says they are doing everything they can to stop the Russian advance.

It's clear that Ukraine faces a tough situation in this area.

Russia's Perspective

Russia believes they are close to taking Pokrovsk. These advances help them control the area around Donetsk and secure important supply lines.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has mentioned overnight attacks and shooting down drones. They also said that the Slavansk refinery was hit. Fighting continues on several fronts, with Donetsk being the main target for Russia.

The meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska is coming up soon.

The White House says it will be a chance for Trump to listen.

It is unlikely that any major breakthroughs will happen. 

The European Union is concerned that President Zelenskyy was not invited to the meeting.

Russia wants to show the United States that Ukraine is a crucial area for them. They don't want Ukraine to become a battleground between Russia, the European Union, and NATO. Russia also wants Ukraine to drop its goals of joining NATO.

Russian politicians have said that they will discuss many issues, including resuming flights, lifting sanctions, and restarting trade between the two countries. This is the first meeting between Trump and Putin since 2019 and the first between US and Russian presidents since 2021.

Before the meeting, there is expected to be a lot of diplomacy. The Russian president has been talking to his partners, including the North Korean leader. The foreign ministers of the United States and Russia have also been in contact.

As Russian troops advance in eastern Ukraine, a meeting between President Trump and President Putin is on the horizon. The situation remains tense, and the outcome of the meeting is uncertain. The coming days will be important for the future of the conflict in Ukraine.

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