Trump mulls over potential encounters with Putin and Zelensky
In a series of diplomatic maneuvers, the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has been confirmed for August 15, 2025, in Alaska. However, a three-way summit involving Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is yet to be scheduled.
The planned Trump-Putin meeting comes amidst ongoing efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. According to reports, the Russian side has shown a greater willingness to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, as expressed by Zelensky.
The announcement of the meeting follows Trump's reported phone call with European heads of state, including Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. However, the White House did not confirm the New York Times report on an upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin.
Zelensky has publicly objected to being excluded from peace negotiations and has rejected any deal involving ceding Ukrainian territory to Russia. Ukrainian officials hope to engage with Trump at other forums such as the G7 summit, but no joint meeting of Trump, Putin, and Zelensky has been announced or planned as of now.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had proposed negotiating a ceasefire in Ukraine in Istanbul. Meanwhile, US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow, which Trump described as a "highly productive meeting."
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine are ongoing, with work expected to continue in the coming days and weeks. Trump has pressured Putin to cease attacks on Ukraine by a certain deadline, threatening U.S. tariffs on countries that continue to trade with Russia.
The sanctions against Russia, including tariffs on countries trading with Russia, will be implemented as planned by the US. Already, India has faced a 25% additional tariff from Trump due to persistent oil imports from Russia. Secondary sanctions could affect countries such as China, Brazil, or the EU if they continue to do business with Russia.
Trump spoke of "great progress" being made in the conversation and stated that all parties agreed that the war must end. The White House spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed that Trump wants the "brutal war" in Ukraine to end. However, it remains to be seen whether the upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin will lead to a breakthrough in the long-standing conflict.
[1] Source: White House Announcement [2] Source: Ukrainian President's Statement [3] Source: Ukrainian Official Statements
- Despite the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the schedule for a three-way summit involving Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains undecided.
- The EU, committed to the implementation of the EU's nuclear programme, may face secondary sanctions if it continues to do business with Russia, as Trump threatens tariffs on countries trading with Russia to pressure Putin to cease attacks on Ukraine.
