In a bold move queuing global attention, U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person as early as next week, according to The New York Times. He’ll then convene a trilateral summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—excluding other world leaders.
The proposal emerged during a call with European and NATO leaders, where Trump noted the three-way talks would include only him, Putin and Zelenskyy. While European counterparts appeared to accept the plan, it remains unclear if the Russian and Ukrainian leaders have officially agreed.
Trump’s special envoy, real estate investor Steve Witkoff, recently met with Putin in Moscow. The president posted that the meeting was “highly productive,” adding, “Everyone agrees this war must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come.”
This announcement comes as Trump has given Russia until Friday to make progress toward peace or face new penalties. Three previous rounds of talks in Istanbul have stalled, with both sides still far apart on key demands.
In parallel, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on imports from India, citing New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil. India pushed back, calling the tariffs “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” and vowed to protect its national interests.
If these planned summit meetings take shape, they could reshape the Ukraine conflict’s trajectory and impact global markets, from energy prices to international relations.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
