Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to meet in the coming days for their first bilateral summit since 2021, the Kremlin confirmed Thursday, raising global anticipation over a possible breakthrough in the Ukraine conflict and renewed U.S.-Russia diplomacy.
The announcement came after Trump’s personal envoy, real estate executive Steve Witkoff, held direct talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the meeting was arranged “at the suggestion of the American side” and that preparations for the high-level summit are already underway.
“We are now beginning concrete preparations together with our American colleagues,” Ushakov told reporters, adding that a venue had already been agreed upon but would be announced later. Putin is also scheduled to meet the president of the United Arab Emirates, a country sources say could serve as host for the summit.
The Russian financial market reacted positively to the news. The MOEX index surged over 5%, reaching a two-month high, while the rouble strengthened against both the U.S. dollar and Chinese yuan, signaling investor optimism for a potential de-escalation of tensions.
There has been no summit between U.S. and Russian leaders since Putin met then-President Joe Biden in Geneva in June 2021. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 severed most diplomatic channels between Moscow and the West. Trump has since signaled willingness to re-engage with the Kremlin, while also issuing mixed messages—ranging from praise to condemnation—of Putin’s wartime decisions.
Ushakov also revealed that Trump’s camp floated the idea of a three-way meeting involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. However, Moscow reportedly left the proposal “completely without comment,” preferring to focus solely on the upcoming bilateral summit.
“The main thing is for this meeting to be successful and productive,” Ushakov said, describing the Putin-Witkoff meeting as “businesslike and constructive.” He added that Russian-American relations could move in a “mutually beneficial” direction, significantly different from the tensions of recent years.
The summit announcement comes as Trump escalates pressure on countries trading with Russia. On Wednesday, he imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods over continued imports of Russian oil and hinted at similar measures against China. Meanwhile, Russian Defense Secretary Sergei Shoigu met with Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in Moscow, where it was confirmed that Putin is expected to visit India by the end of August. —Reuters
