Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are scheduled to hold a summit in the near future, as confirmed by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov on Thursday. This meeting would mark the first summit between the leaders of both countries since 2021. Ushakov stated that an agreement for a high-level bilateral meeting was reached following a proposal from the American side. Concrete preparations for the summit are now underway in collaboration with American counterparts.
The exact location for the summit was not disclosed by Ushakov. There have been suggestions that the meeting could potentially take place in the United Arab Emirates, where Putin was expected to meet with the UAE president later on Thursday. The announcement came shortly after a three-hour meeting between Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin.
Ushakov mentioned that Witkoff had proposed a three-way meeting involving Trump, Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, the Russian side did not provide any response to this proposal. Ushakov emphasized the importance of focusing on the preparation for a successful and productive bilateral meeting with Trump.
Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, hinted at a positive outlook for a potential meeting with Putin and Zelenskyy. In the past, Trump had claimed he could resolve the conflict in Ukraine within 24 hours during his presidential campaign. He later clarified that these statements were figurative. The last summit between U.S. and Russian leaders took place in 2021 when Putin met with Joe Biden in Geneva.
Ushakov expressed cautious optimism about the future of Russian-American relations, highlighting the potential for a more mutually beneficial scenario. If the meeting with Putin proceeds, it will be Trump’s first encounter with the Russian leader since assuming office. During Trump’s first term, he met with Putin five times, including a notable summit in Helsinki where Trump appeared to align with Putin over American intelligence agencies regarding Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the importance of ongoing discussions with European allies and Ukraine. While direct meetings between Trump and the leaders of Russia and Ukraine could facilitate an agreement, Rubio acknowledged that there are still significant obstacles to overcome. Delegations from Russia and Ukraine have engaged in talks in Turkey this year, resulting in prisoner exchanges but no cessation of hostilities.
Zelenskyy has expressed willingness to meet with Putin to resolve the conflict, although Russia has rejected this proposition multiple times. Trump has held several meetings with Zelenskyy this year, with a recent phone call following Witkoff’s discussions with Putin. Zelenskyy noted that Russian willingness to consider a ceasefire appeared to be increasing due to external pressures.
In other developments, Trump announced additional tariffs on Indian goods due to continued imports of Russian oil by New Delhi. Meanwhile, Russian security official Sergei Shoigu assured India of strengthening their strategic partnership, with Putin expected to visit India later in August. Trump also hinted at the possibility of imposing similar tariffs on Chinese goods, given China’s significant purchases of Russian oil.