Moscow is optimistic about a potential face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, a spokesperson for Putin has dampened expectations for Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky’s involvement.
Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov announced on Thursday that the location for the Trump-Putin discussion has been agreed upon, following Trump’s positive remarks about a recent speech in Moscow. Ushakov noted that the U.S. had proposed a meeting between the leaders, and they are currently working out the details. He expressed hope that the meeting could occur in the coming week, although he mentioned that preparation could take time.
He stated that the venue is likely to be in a neutral country, which is common for discussions like this, and further information would be shared soon. Ushakov’s comments came after a meeting on Wednesday with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkov, during which there was optimism about scheduling a meeting soon.
Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, mentioned that Russian officials expressed eagerness to meet. The U.S. aims to have both Putin and Zelensky present during consultations. Trump noted that he sees a positive outlook for this, although he admitted he has faced disappointments in the past.
In a pattern typical for discussions with Russia, Ushakov indicated that while there were positive talks, Putin was not inclined to meet Zelensky. He pointed out that discussions about a three-way meeting format involving Russia, the U.S., and Ukraine were not specifically addressed, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the bilateral meeting with Trump. He suggested that ensuring the success of this meeting should be the priority.
Trump has faced scrutiny regarding the inconsistency between Russia’s promises and actions. Recently, after making hopeful statements about peace, there was a significant Russian airstrike on Ukraine, which raised concerns. The Ukrainian Air Force reported engaging with dozens of Russian drones overnight, successfully neutralizing many. Overall, recent Russian strikes have intensified, prompting NATO air defenses to activate.
As a deadline for progress in the Ukraine situation approaches, Trump has indicated that he might impose new sanctions on Russia if he is unsatisfied with developments. One potential measure includes increasing tariffs on countries, like India, that purchase Russian oil, which is crucial for Russia’s economy and military operations.
This week, Trump signed an executive order to raise the existing 25% tariff on Russian oil imports from India to 50% starting August 27.
