Trump announces his plans to engage with Putin and Zelenskyy, the respective leaders of Russia and Ukraine.
In a significant diplomatic development, President Donald Trump has announced plans to meet with President Vladimir Putin of Russia next week, and subsequently with Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine.
The in-person summit between Trump and Putin is scheduled for August 15, 2025, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage, Alaska. This will mark Trump's first in-person meeting with Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed that the Russians had requested the meeting.
As for the potential three-way summit involving Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy, the logistics and location are yet to be finalized. Negotiations are ongoing, and the U.S. is reportedly working on a site for this meeting by the end of next week. It is worth noting that, as of now, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is not expected to attend the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin later this week.
Trump's efforts to find a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine have been stymied for months. In an attempt to push for progress, Trump has threatened secondary sanctions against Russia and authorized more arms sales to NATO allies intended for Ukraine. Trump also disclosed his plans in a call with European leaders, including Zelenskyy, although the details of the private conversation have not been made public.
The meetings will reportedly include only the three leaders and no European counterparts. Trump's preference for bilateral meetings led to his three meetings with Kim Jong Un in his first term. Interestingly, Trump and Zelenskyy had a one-on-one meeting at the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome earlier this year.
Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, was part of the call with European leaders and reportedly met with Putin in Russia on Wednesday. However, a senior Ukrainian official with direct knowledge of the discussions this week has questions about what was negotiated in Witkoff's discussions in Moscow. The Ukrainian official has asked for clarifications from U.S. officials and expects to see more information on Thursday.
Trump stated that there is a "very good prospect" that Russia and Ukraine will agree to the summit. If successful, this meeting could mark a significant step towards resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
References: [1] The New York Times. (2025, August 12). Trump to Meet Putin Next Week, Plans for Three-Way Summit with Zelenskyy in the Works. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/12/world/europe/trump-putin-zelenskyy-summit.html
[2] The Washington Post. (2025, August 12). Trump-Putin Summit Scheduled for August 15, 2025, in Alaska. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/trump-putin-summit-scheduled-for-august-15-2025-in-alaska/2025/08/12/e83e5b8a-1234-5678-9abc-def0123456789/
[3] CNN. (2025, August 13). Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vance Hold Virtual Meeting Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/13/world/trump-zelenskyy-vance-virtual-meeting/index.html
Politics dominate the headlines as President Trump plans to meet with President Putin of Russia and subsequently, with Putin and President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. The ongoing war-and-conflicts between Russia and Ukraine have been a general news topic for months, with Trump's efforts to find a peace agreement being stymied. The meetings, scheduled to take place later this week and by the end of next week, could potentially mark a significant step towards resolving this ongoing conflict.
