President Donald Trump has confirmed he will hold a face-to-face summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska next week, the first such meeting between the leaders of the two nations since 2021. The August 15 talks are aimed at breaking the deadlock in the nearly four-year-long Ukraine war.
The last U.S.-Russia summit saw former President Joe Biden meet Putin in Geneva. Now, Trump is reviving direct presidential diplomacy, expressing confidence that he can broker a peace deal. He has delayed an even earlier meeting due to “security arrangements” but insists both sides are eager to talk.
The diplomatic effort is set against a backdrop of escalating economic confrontation. Trump’s announcement coincided with a move by Canada, the UK, and the EU to lower the price cap on Russian oil, squeezing Moscow’s war revenues. Trump has also wielded tariffs against countries like India for purchasing Russian energy.
The substance of the talks remains highly contentious. Trump’s suggestion of a deal involving “swapping of territories” has raised alarms, particularly in Europe, over fears that Ukraine could be pressured into ceding land to Russia. Meanwhile, intense fighting continues across eastern Ukraine, highlighting the difficulty of achieving a ceasefire.
27