Trump Ties Putin Meeting to Zelensky Talks Amid Confusion Over Summit Plans
- The New York Editorial Desk - Arif
- Aug 7
- 2 min read
White House denies confirming any bilateral or trilateral meeting
Tone & Political Bias: Weakly Right-Leaning
Why: The article frames Trump as taking a peace-driven stance while highlighting his skepticism of Moscow, which leans toward a favorable portrayal.
Trump Sets Condition for Putin Meeting
President Donald Trump has said he will only meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin if Putin also agrees to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Putin must meet with Zelensky for the meeting to occur,” a White House official told The New York Post.
No specific location or timeline for such a meeting has been confirmed. Trump’s condition introduces a significant diplomatic hurdle, as the Kremlin has expressed reluctance to involve Zelensky in direct talks with Putin.
Russia Claims Bilateral Talks Are in the Works
On Thursday, a senior aide to Putin, Yuri Ushakov, claimed that the U.S. and Russia had agreed “in principle” to hold a bilateral summit between Trump and Putin.
“An agreement was agreed in principle to hold a bilateral summit meeting in the coming days,” Ushakov said, stating it was made “at the suggestion of the American side.”
However, the White House has not confirmed any such agreement. During a press conference on Wednesday, Trump made no mention of a bilateral meeting and instead discussed the possibility of a trilateral meeting involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine.
Trump Expresses Doubts Over Moscow’s Intentions
Trump said he remains cautious about the possibility of productive talks, referencing past behavior by Putin that undermined peace overtures.
“He talks nice and then he bombs everybody,” Trump said Wednesday, referring to Putin’s repeated promises of de-escalation followed by renewed attacks on Ukraine.
Trump also said he would determine “within a matter of weeks, maybe less” whether Putin is serious about ending the war.
Concerns About Being “Tapped Along”
Trump has previously accused the Kremlin of stringing him along with hollow promises. He warned that a one-on-one meeting with Putin ahead of any trilateral summit could allow Russia to continue delaying meaningful negotiations. The phrase “tapped along” refers to Trump’s belief that Putin may engage in prolonged talks without any intention of reaching a peace agreement.
Ukraine Has Not Confirmed Involvement
Zelensky and his administration have not publicly responded to the suggestion of a trilateral meeting or any direct talks with Putin. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, no in-person meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine has taken place.
Trump has suggested that bringing all three leaders to the table could mark a significant breakthrough in the conflict. No previous U.S. president, including Joe Biden, has managed to broker such a gathering.
Kremlin Pushes Back on Zelensky's Inclusion
The Russian side appears unwilling to expand the meeting beyond a bilateral format.
“First of all, we propose to focus on the preparation of a bilateral meeting with Trump and we consider the main thing that this meeting should be successful and effective,” Ushakov said.
The Kremlin’s resistance raises doubts about the feasibility of any broader summit, especially one including Ukraine.
Market Reaction to the Announcement
Following the Kremlin’s statement that a Trump-Putin meeting may take place, the Russian stock market responded positively, rising by about 4.5%. This suggests investor optimism around potential diplomatic engagement or de-escalation.
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