Russian officials have announced that former U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The possibility of a face-to-face discussion between the two leaders was first raised on Wednesday, with Trump and the White House indicating that preparations for such a meeting were underway. The announcement followed a visit by Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin in an effort to find a diplomatic solution to the war.
Trump has repeatedly signaled a desire to rebuild diplomatic ties with Russia, framing the effort as part of a broader push to end the war in Ukraine. However, his public remarks about Putin have alternated between praise and criticism. Recently, Trump issued warnings of additional sanctions on Russia, as well as on nations continuing to engage in trade with the country, should negotiations fail to produce a resolution.
According to Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti, the meeting is anticipated to take place sometime next week. The New York Times reported that Trump informed European leaders during a phone call on Wednesday of his plans to meet with Putin, with a potential follow-up meeting that could include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“There’s a strong likelihood this meeting will happen soon,” Trump told reporters. Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Russia had indicated interest in such a meeting, stating that Trump is open to discussions with both Putin and Zelensky.
The Kremlin officially confirmed on Thursday that a summit between Trump and Putin is being planned within the next few days. This would mark the first direct meeting between the U.S. and Russian heads of state since 2021. However, Russian officials have so far declined to confirm whether Zelensky would be included in subsequent talks.
The timing of the meeting is particularly significant, as it coincides with an approaching deadline Trump set for Russia to agree to a peace plan, or face a new wave of sanctions. Frustrated with the lack of progress, Trump has threatened to ramp up economic pressure on both Russia and its trade partners. On Wednesday, he announced a new 25% tariff on Indian imports, effective August 28, and hinted at similar measures against Chinese goods—China being a major importer of Russian oil.
While the exact venue for the summit remains unknown, one likely location could be the United Arab Emirates, where Putin is scheduled to meet with the UAE president on Thursday. The last formal meeting between a U.S. and Russian president occurred in June 2021, when Joe Biden and Putin met in Geneva. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have since deteriorated sharply following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Yuri Ushakov, a senior foreign policy aide in Moscow, told the Interfax news agency that the U.S. had initiated the proposal for the meeting and that both sides had reached a preliminary agreement. “We are now starting the practical arrangements with our American counterparts,” Ushakov confirmed.
