Putin-Trump Meeting Set for Next Week, Zelensky May Join

Russia and the United States have agreed to organize a high-level summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump next week, with a possible trilateral meeting involving Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky also under discussion.

Summit Scheduled, Location to Be Announced Soon

The meeting will take place in the coming days, with next week marked as a tentative timeframe. The location has been determined but will be announced later, said Yuri Ushakov, assistant to the Russian president.

“At the initiative of the American side, a general agreement has been reached to hold a bilateral high-level meeting in the coming days,” Ushakov told RIA Novosti, adding that both Moscow and Washington have started preparing for the summit.

Trump Open to Including Zelensky in Future Talks

Following Kremlin talks between President Putin and U.S. special envoy Steven Witkoff on August 6, Donald Trump said he sees good prospects for a meeting and, eventually, a broader summit with Zelensky. According to reports by The New York Times and CNN, Trump has instructed his team to fast-track preparations and hopes to conduct the meetings within one to two weeks.

At the same time, Trump hinted he may impose secondary sanctions on Russia’s trade partners, stating he would make a final decision later.

Russia Focused on Bilateral Success

According to Ushakov, the idea of a trilateral summit with Putin, Trump, and Zelensky was mentioned by Witkoff during the Kremlin discussions, but was not formally explored or commented on by the Russian side.

“We suggest focusing primarily on preparing a successful and productive bilateral meeting with Trump,” Ushakov emphasized.

Kremlin Supports Dialogue, Cites Istanbul Negotiations

The Kremlin has previously said a Putin-Trump summit is necessary and that a U.S.-Russia-Ukraine leaders’ meeting could be possible if progress is made during negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul.

Background: Last Putin-Trump Meeting Was in 2019

The last face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin took place at the G20 summit in Osaka in 2019. This year alone, the two leaders have held six phone calls, the most recent being on July 3. After that conversation, Trump expressed frustration over the lack of progress in resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict.