Kremlin confirms plans for Putin-Trump meet; White House says talks ongoing

The Kremlin says a Putin-Trump summit has been agreed 'in principle'; the White House confirms discussions are underway, but nothing finalised

The Kremlin confirmed Thursday that discussions are underway for a possible in-person meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

 

According to a report by The Associated Press, Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy adviser, said a meeting has been agreed to “in principle” and that a venue has been selected, though he stopped short of naming the location or confirming the date. Ushakov said that both sides are working to finalise arrangements in the coming days. If it proceeds, the summit would be the first between Putin and Trump since the US President's return to the White House in January.

 

 

“The goal is a substantive dialogue,” Ushakov said, noting that the war in Ukraine and broader US-Russia strategic relations would top the agenda.

 

US confirms talks, but says plans not final

Hours earlier, the White House also acknowledged the possibility of a summit but stressed that plans are still in flux. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that the meeting could take place as early as next week, though no final schedule or location has been confirmed.

 

The comments followed a high-level meeting in Moscow on Wednesday between Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin.

 

Witkoff-Putin talks signal opening

Witkoff’s three-hour meeting with Putin was described by both sides as “productive”. The Kremlin called the conversation “useful and constructive,” while Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that “great progress was made” and that European allies had been briefed.

 

Putin’s office said the two discussed the war in Ukraine and “prospects for possible development of strategic cooperation” between Russia and the United States. The timing of the meeting — just days before the expiration of a US-imposed deadline for Russia to halt attacks on Ukraine or face economic sanctions — adds urgency to the meeting.

 

The United States has threatened new secondary sanctions against Russia if a ceasefire is not reached by Friday, a deadline set by Trump in late July. Trump also announced a 50 per cent tariff on India for continuing to purchase Russian crude oil.

 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier confirmed the administration is open to direct talks with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump,” Leavitt said. “The President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky.”

 

Ukraine cautious on ceasefire talks

On Wednesday, Zelenskyy said that he spoke with Trump following the Moscow meeting and that European leaders also joined the conversation. He signalled that Russia may be more open to a ceasefire but warned of the need for coordinated positions among Ukraine and its allies.

 

“It seems that Russia is now more inclined to agree to a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said. “But we must not let them deceive us or the United States.”

 

Russia-Ukraine war intensifies

The potential summit comes as violence in the ongoing war intensifies. Overnight strikes by Russian forces hit a recreational centre in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, killing two and injuring 12, including children. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy described the attack as “cruelty to intimidate,” with no military justification.

 

On Tuesday, Moscow announced it no longer considers itself bound by a moratorium on deploying nuclear-capable intermediate-range missiles, raising fears of a new arms race. Putin has also touted the deployment of a new hypersonic missile system, claiming it is beyond Nato’s current defensive capabilities.

 

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev warned that the war could lead to direct military conflict with the United States. In response, Trump ordered the repositioning of two US nuclear submarines, according to officials.