MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump will meet “in the coming days,” the Kremlin said on Thursday (August 7), as Trump seeks a breakthrough to end the war in Ukraine after voicing frustration with Moscow and threatening fresh sanctions.
The announcement came a day after Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, held three hours of talks with Putin in Moscow. Trump has said that unless Putin agrees to peace by Friday (August 8), the US will impose new sanctions on Russia and countries that continue buying its exports.
Trump on Wednesday raised tariffs on Indian goods over Russian oil purchases and hinted that similar actions may follow for China.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters the two sides had agreed to hold a summit “in the coming days.” Putin, during a meeting with the president of the United Arab Emirates, said the UAE would be a “suitable” venue but did not confirm it as the host.
The last US-Russia summit took place in Geneva in June 2021, when Putin met then-President Joe Biden.
ZELENSKIY INSISTS ON EUROPEAN INVOLVEMENT
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Europe must be part of any peace talks, noting that “the war is happening in Europe, and Ukraine is an integral part of Europe.”
Zelenskiy held separate talks with the leaders of France and Germany and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, adding: “Europe must be a participant in the relevant processes.”
“The war must end with a dignified peace,” Zelenskiy said on X, arguing that the outcome of any deal would shape the continent’s security landscape for decades.
While Kyiv and its allies have long feared that Trump might pressure Ukraine into accepting unfavourable terms, Zelenskiy said Ukraine “is not afraid of meetings and expects the same brave approach from the Russian side.”
He confirmed that various bilateral and trilateral meeting formats had been discussed with Trump.
