The Kremlin has confirmed an upcoming summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, as both sides initiate diplomatic groundwork amid renewed efforts to de-escalate the conflict in Ukraine.
US Proposal Leads to Breakthrough in Preparations
Russia and the United States have reached a preliminary agreement on a top-level meeting between the two leaders, according to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. "At the suggestion of the American side, we have essentially agreed to hold a bilateral summit in the coming days," Ushakov said, as quoted by RIA Novosti. He confirmed that preparations are now underway and the location has been agreed upon, though it will be announced at a later stage.
The following week has been set as a tentative timeframe for the summit, but Ushakov emphasized that it remains difficult to predict exactly how many days the preparations will take.
Witkoff's Visit Raises Prospect of Zelensky Joining Talks
Just a day earlier, US special envoy Steven Witkoff met with Putin in the Kremlin. Following the meeting, President Trump said he was optimistic about the chances of a direct summit and even floated the idea of a three-way meeting including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to reports from The New York Times and CNN, Trump has instructed his aides to accelerate preparations and aims to hold the meetings within one to two weeks. However, he also warned that secondary sanctions against Moscow’s trade partners remain an option, pending further developments.
Russia Focuses on Bilateral Dialogue First
Ushakov clarified that while Witkoff did mention a possible trilateral summit, the idea was not discussed in detail and received no official comment from Moscow.
"We suggest focusing first and foremost on preparing the bilateral meeting with Trump. Our priority is to ensure that the summit is successful and productive," the aide stated.
The Kremlin had previously indicated that a joint summit involving the US, Russia, and Ukraine could be possible—if tangible progress is made in ongoing Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul.
Constructive Kremlin Talks Raise Hopes
Ushakov also described the meeting between Putin and Witkoff as "businesslike and constructive," adding that both Moscow and Washington could be satisfied with the outcome. He highlighted that the discussion touched on the broader context of resolving the Ukraine conflict and emphasized the potential for constructive, mutually beneficial US-Russia relations.
"This meeting was businesslike and constructive. I think both sides can be satisfied with the results of the conversation," the Kremlin stressed.
Dmitriev Sees Historic Importance
Earlier, Russian special envoy for international economic cooperation Kirill Dmitriev said the upcoming Putin-Trump summit could carry historic weight. In his view, both leaders appear inclined to choose dialogue over confrontation as the foundation for future relations.
Summit Could Mark Turning Point in US-Russia Ties
The last face-to-face meeting between Putin and Trump occurred at the G20 Summit in Osaka in 2019. Since the start of this year, they have held six phone conversations, the most recent on July 3. After that call, Trump expressed frustration over the lack of progress on resolving the crisis between Moscow and Kyiv.
