President Donald Trump is preparing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of the White House’s renewed effort to broker peace in the three-year-long conflict in Ukraine.
Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Thursday that the summit could happen as early as next week, though no official date has been confirmed. He also downplayed the chance that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would attend the meeting.
If it takes place, this would be the first U.S.-Russia summit since former President Joe Biden’s 2021 meeting with Putin. However, the likelihood of an immediate breakthrough remains uncertain, as Moscow and Kyiv continue to hold vastly different positions on peace terms.
Kremlin confirms upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin
Timeline of Key Efforts to End the Ukraine War:
Feb 28, 2022: Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet in Belarus soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Talks continue but only lead to humanitarian corridor agreements.
March 21, 2022: Zelenskyy offers direct talks with Putin and proposes Ukraine’s non-NATO membership in exchange for a ceasefire and security guarantees. Russia rebuffs the offer.
March 29, 2022: Talks in Istanbul see Moscow open to scaling back military operations; Kyiv remains open to neutral status if security is guaranteed.
April 7, 2022: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov rejects Ukraine’s peace proposal, accusing Kyiv of reneging on prior agreements concerning Crimea.
July 22, 2022: With Turkey and UN mediation, Russia and Ukraine agree to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports, easing global food concerns.
Sept 30, 2022: Russia annexes four Ukrainian regions illegally; Ukraine responds by applying for NATO membership and declaring talks with Putin “impossible.”
Dec 7, 2024: Trump, as U.S. President-elect, meets Zelenskyy and European leaders in Paris.
Feb 12, 2025: Trump and Putin agree to start peace talks, ending years of U.S.-led isolation of Russia over Ukraine.
Feb 18, 2025: Russian and U.S. officials meet in Saudi Arabia to pursue war termination and restore ties; Ukraine is not invited.
Feb 28, 2025: Zelenskyy meets Trump and others in the Oval Office; a minerals deal remains unsigned amid tensions.
March 11, 2025: U.S. and Ukrainian officials agree on a 30-day ceasefire plan; Kyiv accepts.
March 13, 2025: Putin effectively rejects the ceasefire, stating unresolved issues; meets U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff multiple times.
March 18, 2025: Temporary pause on energy infrastructure strikes agreed but later violated by both sides.
April 19, 2025: Putin declares a 30-hour Easter ceasefire, but fighting continues.
April 28, 2025: Kremlin announces a 72-hour Victory Day ceasefire starting May 8; Kyiv favors a longer 30-day truce. Both accuse each other of violations.
May 11, 2025: Putin proposes unconditional talks in Istanbul; Zelenskyy invites him to meet.
May 15, 2025: Direct talks resume in Istanbul; follow-up meetings in June and July yield limited progress beyond prisoner exchanges.
July 14 & 28, 2025: Trump threatens severe tariffs on Russia and countries buying Russian oil unless peace is achieved within weeks.
Aug 6, 2025: U.S. envoy Witkoff meets Putin in Moscow ahead of Trump’s deadline. The Kremlin confirms a Trump-Putin meeting is planned, with date yet to be set.
The outcome of this potential summit remains uncertain as both sides maintain deep divisions over the conflict’s resolution.
Source: Agency