Trump and Putin aiming for a face-to-face encounter in Alaska.
In a significant development, US President Donald Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday, August 15, in the US state of Alaska. This will be the first personal meeting of a sitting US President with Putin since the summer of 2021 [1].
The announcement comes amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where Russia, under Putin's leadership, began its invasion in February 2022. The meeting was confirmed by both the US and Russian sides, although no agreement at the expert level on a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict has been reached [1].
Trump has emphasized the need for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv at the highest level, and has expressed a desire to end the war quickly. However, the Kremlin has set certain conditions for a potential meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky [1].
The Kremlin requires Ukraine to renounce aspirations to NATO membership, engage in territorial negotiations on Moscow’s terms, and for the meeting agenda to be agreed upon. As of now, the agenda for such a summit is "not ready at all," signaling no imminent meeting [1].
Zelensky himself has indicated that Moscow is actively preventing any meeting from taking place. During Biden's tenure, the US became the main ally and arms supplier to Ukraine in its defense against Russia [1].
In a recent development, US special envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow and spoke with Putin for the fifth time. Trump set a deadline of ten days for a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv, but no further tariffs on other countries were announced in this context [1].
The exchange between Witkoff and Putin was described as constructive by the Kremlin. Interestingly, Russian foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov stated that if there is another meeting after Alaska, it would likely take place in Russia [1].
During Biden's tenure, the US imposed new tariffs on India due to its oil deals with Russia. Trump threatened to impose sanctions on Russia's trading partners if the ceasefire is not achieved [1].
It is worth noting that during Biden's tenure, the US became the main ally and arms supplier to Ukraine in its defense against Russia. In contrast, Trump imposed new tariffs on India due to its oil deals with Russia [1].
References: [1] [Source] [2] [Source]
Policy discussions surrounding the ongoing Ukraine conflict, particularly regarding a potential ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv, are currently at the forefront of politics and general news. The meetings between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at resolving this war-and-conflicts issue, are intertwined with policy-and-legislation decisions such as the US's stance on Ukraine joining NATO and imposing tariffs on trading partners involved in oil deals with Russia.
