Moscow: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet ‘in the coming days,’ a Kremlin official has confirmed. This summit will be the first between the two leaders as a crucial deadline set by the United States looms, demanding Russia agree to a ceasefire in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine or face economic sanctions.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Putin indicated that the meeting might be hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). During a visit to Moscow by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Putin mentioned, “We have many friends willing to help us organize events of this kind. The President of the United Arab Emirates is one such friend. I think we will make a decision eventually, and that country would be an appropriate place for a meeting.”
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov suggested that the meeting could occur as soon as next week. “At the suggestion of the American side, an agreement was essentially reached to hold a bilateral meeting at the highest level in the coming days, that is, a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump,” Ushakov stated.
The proposal for the summit was initially put forward by White House envoy Steve Witkoff during discussions with Putin, aiming to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Ushakov also mentioned that Witkoff had proposed three-way talks involving Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, although Moscow remains skeptical of this approach.
Expectations for a peace deal before Trump’s deadline are low, as Russia continues its air strikes across Ukraine. Moscow’s demands, including Kyiv’s demilitarization, neutrality, and renunciation of NATO membership, remain unacceptable to Ukraine and its Western allies. Additionally, Russia’s conditions for a Ukrainian withdrawal from Russian-occupied regions, recognition of Crimea, and lifting of international sanctions, have been consistently rejected by Ukraine.