Trump expresses willingness for a meeting with Putin and Zelensky, according to the White House
In a significant development, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are preparing to meet for peace talks in Alaska. The potential summit, which could take place as early as next week, has sparked discussions about the potential involvement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The decision to invite Zelensky to the summit is yet to be confirmed, with Trump reportedly considering it beneficial to include him in the negotiations. However, not everyone agrees with this idea. US Vice President JD Vance, for instance, has suggested that Zelensky's attendance might not be productive at this stage.
European leaders have emphasised the importance of Ukraine's representation in any peace negotiations, and have expressed their opposition to any territorial concessions to Russia. Zelensky himself has rejected certain proposals related to these talks, while urging his allies to push for "regime change" in Moscow.
The talks come amidst a tense period, with Russia's campaign against Ukraine since February 2022 resulting in the death of tens of thousands of people, the destruction of large parts of the country, and the displacement of millions. Recently, Ukrainian emergency services reported that at least two people were killed and 12 others wounded in Russian shelling of a holiday camp in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.
In a move to pressure Russia, Trump has ordered steeper tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil. He has also threatened to impose "secondary tariffs" targeting Russia's key trade partners, such as China and India, if Russia fails to make progress towards peace. Without explicitly naming Trump, the Kremlin has slammed these threats as "illegitimate."
US envoy Steve Witkoff recently held "productive" talks with Russian leadership in Moscow. Yuri Ushakov, Putin's aide, described the conversation as "quite useful and constructive." However, three rounds of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul have so far failed to make headway on a ceasefire.
Trump has voiced increasing frustration with Putin over Russia's unrelenting offensive, and has given Russia until Friday to make progress towards peace or face new penalties. In response, Moscow has ended a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear-capable intermediate-range missiles, suggesting it could deploy such weapons in response to alleged US deployments within striking distance of Russia.
Amidst these escalating tensions, Trump has ordered two nuclear submarines to be moved following an online row with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. The White House has not officially outlined what action it would take against Russia, but the possibility of a three-way meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky is under consideration.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Trump is open to meeting with both Putin and Zelensky. The latest information indicates that this meeting could be a significant step towards resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
[1] New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/11/world/europe/trump-putin-summit-ukraine.html [2] CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/11/world/trump-putin-summit-ukraine/index.html
[1] The potential inclusion of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the planned peace talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin war-and-conflicts has sparked political discussions, with opinions divided on whether his attendance would be productive or not, politics.
[2] The ongoing war-and-conflicts between Russia and Ukraine dominates general news headlines, with the latest developments including potential summit meetings and increasing tension over territorial disputes, nuclear deployments, and trade disputes all contributing to a tense global political landscape.
