President Donald Trump could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week, according to a White House official, as the US plans to impose secondary sanctions on Russia, aiming to pressure Moscow to end its war in Ukraine.
This meeting would mark the first face-to-face encounter between a sitting US president and Putin since Joe Biden’s meeting in Geneva in June 2021, eight months before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, the largest attack on a European nation since World War II.
Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have not met since December 2019 and openly express disdain for each other. The New York Times reported that Trump informed European leaders during a call on Wednesday about his intention to meet with Putin. He also plans a trilateral meeting involving Zelenskiy.
Moreover, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed, “The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelenskiy.”
Progress in Talks
A German government spokesperson stated that Trump updated European leaders on the status of talks with Russia during a call with the German chancellor, following a meeting between Putin and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, which Trump described as achieving “great progress.”
However, this development comes just two days before Trump’s deadline for Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine or face new sanctions. Trump has expressed frustration with Putin over the lack of progress and threatened heavy tariffs on countries purchasing Russian exports, including oil.
Despite positive discussions, the White House official confirmed that secondary sanctions against countries doing business with Russia are still set to be implemented on Friday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized the need for further efforts to reach an agreement, stating, “Today was a good day, but we have a lot of work ahead.”
Furthermore, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov noted that both sides exchanged “signals” regarding Ukraine and discussed potential strategic cooperation but he withheld further details until Witkoff reported back to Trump.
Zelenskiy’s Optimism
Zelenskiy expressed cautious optimism, declaring that pressure on Russia seems to be working, stating, “It seems that Russia is now more inclined to a ceasefire. The pressure on them works.” He urged that both Ukraine and the US must not be misled by Russia’s intentions.
On Wednesday, Trump took a significant step toward punitive measures by imposing a 25% tariff on imports from India due to its continued purchases of Russian oil, raising tariffs on some Indian goods to as high as 50%, among the steepest faced by any US trading partner. The Kremlin has condemned these threats as illegal.
Consequently, reports suggest that the Kremlin might propose a moratorium on airstrikes by both Russia and Ukraine, a suggestion made by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. While this would not fulfill the full ceasefire sought by Ukraine and the US, it could provide some relief.
As tensions continue, the prospect of a Trump-Putin meeting raises hopes for progress in the ongoing conflict. However, skepticism remains regarding the effectiveness of sanctions and the willingness of both leaders to compromise.
