President Trump is eyeing a summit with Russian PresidentVladimir Putin as he pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine, a potential meeting that carries huge risks and possible rewards for the White House.
Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Putin in recent months as Russia pounds Ukraine despite U.S. calls for a pause in the fighting. The administration on Wednesday announced tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil, and additional sanctions on Russia are expected Friday.
Much is still unknown about the meeting, including when, where — and even whether — it will happen.
Both the White House and the Kremlin have indicated the meeting will take place soon, potentially as early as next week. But officials did not offer details on where it would take place, how long it would last or who would be involved.
Trump told European leaders on a call on Wednesday that his idea was to meet with Putin and then have a trilateral meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It was unclear if all parties would agree to such a setup, or who else might attend.
Trump told reporters Thursday that Zelensky’s attendance was not a prerequisite for him to meet with Putin.
Possible venues could include Turkey, which has served as a mediator for U.S.-Russian prisoner swaps. The United Arab Emirates has also mediated between Russia and Ukraine for prisoner swaps. Qatar is a mediator the U.S. has relied on heavily in negotiating between Israel and Hamas and between warring parties in Africa.
One key piece of any potential summit is Ukraine’s role.
Trump indicated to European leaders that his idea would be to meet with Putin, then host a meeting with Putin and Zelensky. The Kremlin had earlier dismissed the possibility of a meeting between Putin and Zelensky unless negotiators had reached the final stages of a deal to end the war.
Zelensky has not publicly commented on a potential meeting with Putin, and such a meeting would be the first time the two leaders have come face-to-face since the war began in 2022. But he has been adamant that there should be no decisions about Ukraine without Ukrainian input.
Such a high-stakes meeting could yield a historic diplomatic win for Trump if he stops the war — but it also carries risks for all parties involved.
Trump has repeatedly demurred on whether Putin is stringing him along, and an in-person meeting could buy the Russian leader more time without producing concrete results toward a ceasefire in Ukraine.
White House officials have indicated they are going into the potential meeting with eyes open about Putin’s lack of commitments thus far.
Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I’m Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.
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