According to several sources familiar with the case, President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are planning a meeting in Alaska.
Mr. Trump Confirmed the truth social The meeting will be held on Friday, August 15 in Alaska.
A senior White House official told CBS News that the plan for the next Friday’s summit is still liquid, and it is still possible that Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelanski may somehow join.
The White House said earlier this week that Mr. Trump is open to a meeting with both Putin and Zelancesi, but Mr. Trump on Friday suggested that he can just meet with Putin, asking reporters that he is planning to “start with Russia.” Mr. Trump also said that he believes that “we have a shot” organizing a tripartite meeting with Ukrainian and Russian leaders.
The expected meeting comes when Mr. Trump presses Putin on a ceasefire deal with Ukraine. This will be a first face-to-face meeting between Putin and an American leader as former President Joe Biden met with his Russian counterpart in Switzerland June 2021Eight months before Russia, Ukraine started his full -scale invasion.
Friday, August 8, the deadline for Putin is the deadline either to cut a ceasefire deal with Ukraine or the Russian economy faces heavy sanctions that include target sanctions, which include Possible secondary restriction On those countries that trade with Russia. Mr. Trump Apply 50% tariff Earlier this week, on Indian goods, because India buys oil from Russia.
The status of those additional restrictions is not clear.
Mr. Trump has been disappointed with Putin in recent weeks, as Russia continues to pumile Ukrainian cities with drone and missile attacks. Mr. Trump Has described some of your recent phone calls As a disappointing with the Russian President.
The tone of the Trump administration has appeared to shift in recent times. Mr. Trump’s messenger, Steve Witcoff, met Putin in Moscow for hours on Wednesday, who was the US President It has been told As “very productive.” White House and Kremlin Later indicated He was open to a Putin-Tram Summit.
The President told reporters on Friday: “President Putin, I am confident, want to see peace, and Zelancesi wants to see peace.”
But the actual conditions of any possible peace deal are not clear. The Russian army occupies large health of eastern Ukraine, including both states, which have been captured since 2022 and that it was engaged in a low intensity conflict that it began in 2014.
Russian leadership is Indicated in the past It wants Ukraine to withdraw its own forces from the most part of the country – possibly include areas that Russia has not captured – and to join NATO to end its long push to join NATO. Zelanceci is Pushed Back On those demands.
Mr. Trump said that on Friday, he expects “exchange of some regions” between Russia and Ukraine.
The US President has convicted both Zelanski and Putin at various points for slow progress on the ceasefire deal. Mr. Trump Public debate With Zelanceci Earlier this year in the Oval Office, and that Claimed Zelenskyy was prolonging conflict Crimean peninsula refuses to reduce To Russia. Trump administration Is also Prevented Military aid in Ukraine at least twice before restoring aid shipment.
