That's what it's about
- US President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15.
- It is the first face-to-face meeting between a sitting US president and Putin since summer 2021.
- Trump is calling for a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv and threatening sanctions against Russia's trading partners.
- A meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remains uncertain.
US President Donald Trump has announced he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday (August 15). The meeting will take place in the US state of Alaska, the Republican announced on his Truth Social platform.
Previously, both the Russian and American sides had confirmed a planned meeting in the near future, but initially did not specify an exact date or location.
First meeting at the highest level since 2021
This is the first face-to-face meeting between a sitting US president and Putin since the summer of 2021. At that time, Trump's Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, met with the Kremlin chief in Geneva. Russia has been waging a destructive war of aggression against Ukraine for more than three years. Trump has repeatedly emphasized his desire to end the war quickly. He repeatedly says that the Russian invasion only began under Biden. Trump has drawn closer to Moscow and spoken with Putin several times by phone – but has recently become increasingly critical of the Russian president.
Ceasefire deadline expires
Last Tuesday (July 29), Trump set a ten-day deadline and demanded a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv. Should this not be achieved, he announced sanctions against Russia's trading partners – and shortly thereafter imposed new punitive tariffs on India for its oil deals with Moscow. These tariffs are not scheduled to take effect until August 27. This deadline now appears to be expiring this Friday (local time), without Trump having imposed new tariffs on any other countries in connection with the Ukraine war.
Before the presidential-level meeting became known, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow and spoke personally with Putin for the fifth time. The Kremlin described the exchange as constructive, and Washington echoed similar sentiments.
Meeting between Putin and Zelensky?
It remains unclear whether there will be a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky has repeatedly called for such a discussion. Trump also emphasized the need for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv at the highest level. However, the Kremlin has always made it clear that the necessary conditions must first be met—meaning agreements at the expert level on a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict. This is not in sight so far.
