Trump and Putin express desire for a face-to-face encounter in Alaska.
In a significant development, US President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs against India due to its oil deals with Russia, effective from August, as tensions between the two nations continue to escalate.
This announcement comes ahead of Trump's anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday, August 15, in the US state of Alaska. This will be the first personal meeting between a sitting US President and Putin since the summer of 2021.
The previous meeting between Biden and Putin took place in Geneva in the summer of 2021. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky has repeatedly demanded a conversation with Putin, but the Kremlin has set certain conditions before a meeting can take place.
Russia, under Putin's leadership, began its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Kremlin's current condition for a meeting between President Putin and Zelensky is that such a meeting would only occur during a "final phase" of negotiations to end the conflict.
Trump has emphasized the need for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv at the highest level. He has also threatened to impose sanctions on Russia's trading partners if the ceasefire is not achieved. Trump claims that the Russian invasion began during Biden's term and suggests it would have been unthinkable under his presidency.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff has met with Putin for the fifth time before the meeting of the two presidents was announced. The meeting between Witkoff and Putin was described as constructive by both the Kremlin and Washington. Trump has set a deadline of ten days for a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv.
It remains uncertain whether there will be a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky. The Kremlin has stated that certain conditions must be met before a meeting between the two leaders, including agreements at the expert level on a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict.
During Biden's tenure, the US has become the main ally and arms supplier to Ukraine in its defense against Russia. This has been a point of contention between the two nations, with Trump's new tariffs against India being seen as a move to exert pressure on Russia.
Trump has moved closer to Moscow and spoken with Putin several times. However, recently, he has become increasingly critical of Putin. This shift in tone could indicate a change in strategy or a reflection of Trump's political positioning ahead of the 2024 election.
Putin, on the other hand, has stated that he is ready to meet Zelensky but only when the talks are nearing their conclusion and a resolution is close. This indicates that Russia is not presently open to meeting Zelensky unless the negotiations have progressed to an advanced stage, implying that preliminary or early-stage talks must be completed first.
This news article aims to provide a clear and concise summary of the current situation between the US, Russia, and Ukraine, focusing on the upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin and the ongoing tensions over Ukraine. It is important to note that this article does not contain opinions or unrelated information, and all facts presented are based on the provided bullet points.
The announcement of new tariffs by Trump against India is seen as a move to exert pressure on Russia, given the context of tensions between the two nations, particularly due to India's oil deals with Russia. This development comes in the lead-up to Trump's anticipated meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where discussions involving war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news are expected.
Meanwhile, the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine remains uncertain, with talks at the highest level being emphasized by Trump, despite recent criticism of Putin by Trump. TheKremlin's conditions for a meeting between President Putin and Zelensky include the completion of early-stage talks and agreements at the expert level for a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict.
