Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (August 7) that he might meet U.S. President Donald Trump as early as next week. The meeting could happen in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), although nothing has been officially confirmed yet.
Putin said both sides are interested in the meeting. After talking with the UAE President in Moscow, he told reporters that the idea came up during their discussions, but he didn’t say who suggested it first.
Putin’s adviser, Yuri Ushakov, also confirmed that they are working on planning the meeting, but a final date and location haven’t been set. He said, “We want the meeting to be useful and successful.”
U.S. Remains Cautious, Sanctions Likely
An unnamed U.S. official told the Associated Press that no final decision has been made about the meeting, but new sanctions against Russia are expected on Friday.
If the meeting happens, it would be the first official summit between the U.S. and Russia since President Joe Biden met with Putin in 2021. Trump is presenting himself as someone who can help bring peace, and he wants to talk directly with Russia — even though earlier peace efforts didn’t work.
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Ukraine’s President Zelensky Not Expected at Meeting
Putin’s adviser, Ushakov, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not expected to be part of the talks, although the idea was briefly suggested by a U.S. envoy.
Putin also said that Zelensky’s participation is possible, but only if certain conditions are met, showing that Russia’s tough position on Ukraine hasn’t changed.
Zelensky Wants European Leaders Involved
In response, Zelensky said he is not afraid of meetings and wants to see the same willingness from Russia. He posted on Telegram that it’s time to end the war, but also made it clear that Europe must be part of future peace talks, and any peace deal should come with strong security promises from both the U.S. and European countries.
He said this after a Russian attack in Ukraine’s Dnipro region killed four civilians.
The war has already killed over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, and tens of thousands of soldiers from both sides. Russia is still trying to push forward in eastern Ukraine, where the battle line stretches about 1,000 kilometers.
Trump Toughens His Tone on Russia
Recently, Trump has become more critical of Putin, even though in the past he was seen as being friendly towards Russia. Now, Trump is accusing the Kremlin of blocking peace efforts and has warned of more sanctions if there’s no progress.
