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ARCHIVE - Vladimir Putin (l), President of Russia, and Donald Trump, then President of the USA, talk at the G20 summit. In the struggle to end the war in Ukraine, US President Donald Trump sees it as a concession by the Kremlin that Russia no longer wants to completely conquer its neighboring country. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP/dpa
Keystone
US President Donald Trump has announced that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday (August 15). The meeting will take place in the US state of Alaska, as the Republican announced on his Truth Social platform.
Both the Russian and American sides had previously 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
It will be the first face-to-face meeting between a sitting US president and Putin since the summer of 2021, when Trump's Democratic predecessor Joe Biden met the Kremlin leader in Geneva. Russia has been waging a destructive war of aggression against Ukraine for more than three years. Trump has repeatedly emphasized that he wants to end the war quickly. He repeatedly says that the Russian invasion only began under Biden. Trump moved closer to Moscow and spoke to Putin on the phone several times - but has recently become increasingly critical of the Russian president.
Trump took aim at Kremlin trading partners
On Tuesday last week (July 29), Trump set a deadline of ten days and called for a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev during this period. Should this not happen, he announced sanctions against Russia's trading partners - and shortly afterwards imposed new punitive tariffs on India due to its oil business with Moscow. However, these are not due to come into force until August 27. This deadline now appears to expire today, Friday (local time), without Trump imposing new tariffs on other countries in the context of the war in Ukraine.
Before the meeting at presidential level became known, US special envoy Steve Witkoff had traveled to Moscow and spoken to Putin in person for the fifth time. The exchange was described by the Kremlin as constructive - similar comments were made in Washington.
Meeting between Putin and Selensky?
It remains to be seen whether there will also be a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Selensky had repeatedly called for such a meeting. Trump also emphasized the need for direct talks between Moscow and Kiev at the highest level. However, the Kremlin has always made it clear that the conditions for this must first be created - meaning agreements at expert level on a peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict. This is not yet in sight.
09.08.2025, 00:27
