Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Likely in ‘Coming Days’ — Kremlin
The Kremlin announced on Thursday that a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could take place in the “coming days,” as Washington intensifies its efforts to broker a resolution to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
President Putin mentioned the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a potential host for the high-level meeting, but appeared to dismiss the possibility of direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at this stage.
If confirmed, the Trump-Putin summit would mark the first meeting between a sitting U.S. and Russian president since Joe Biden met with Putin in Geneva in 2021. It would also be Trump’s first official face-to-face with the Russian leader since returning to the White House earlier this year.
Speaking to reporters, Putin said: “Both sides have shown interest in a meeting. We have many friends willing to help organize such events. One of them is the president of the United Arab Emirates,” he stated alongside UAE leader Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Earlier in the day, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that the summit plan originated from the U.S. side, stating that “next week has been set as a target date.” He added that both parties had “in principle” agreed on a venue, though it was not disclosed.
However, a White House official later clarified that while a summit was under discussion, no specific date or location had been finalized. “No location has been determined,” the official said, adding that a meeting “could occur as early as next week.”
No Putin-Zelensky Talks in Sight
The potential summit comes amid a prolonged deadlock between Russia and Ukraine. Three rounds of direct negotiations have failed to produce a breakthrough, with both sides maintaining starkly opposing demands. The war, now in its fourth year, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions, particularly in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Despite mounting international pressure, Putin has resisted calls for a ceasefire. At a recent round of talks in Istanbul, Russian negotiators presented strict territorial demands, insisting that Kyiv relinquish control of certain regions and renounce Western military support.
On Wednesday, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow, proposing a trilateral summit involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, Putin appeared to reject the idea of a direct meeting with the Ukrainian leader, saying, “In general, I don’t object, it’s possible — but the right conditions must be created. Unfortunately, we are still far from that point.”
Putin had previously stated in June that he was open to meeting Zelensky, but only during the “final phase” of peace negotiations.
Zelensky, meanwhile, renewed his call for direct talks with the Russian president, emphasizing that such a meeting remains the only viable path toward ending the war. “We need to determine the timing and the scope of issues to be addressed,” he wrote on social media.
Following calls with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelensky stressed Europe’s role in any future peace process. “This war is happening in Europe, and Ukraine is part of Europe — we are already negotiating EU membership. Europe must therefore be a full participant in these discussions,” he stated.
He also revealed that Ukrainian, European, and U.S. security advisors would convene online later on Thursday to coordinate their positions.
“Ukraine is not afraid of dialogue and expects the same courage from the Russian side,” Zelensky added. “It’s time to end this war.”
— AFP
