Washington D.C., August 7, 2025 – In a major diplomatic development, U.S. President Donald Trump could hold a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week, according to a senior White House official. The potential meeting would mark the first direct encounter between a sitting U.S. president and Putin since Joe Biden met him in Geneva in 2021. With tensions rising over the Ukraine war and new sanctions looming, the talks may signal a possible turning point—or a new phase of geopolitical confrontation.
According to a report, Trump informed European leaders during a recent call that he plans to meet with Putin and is considering a trilateral summit that would include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The move comes just two days ahead of Trump’s set deadline for Russia to agree to a peace plan in Ukraine or face sweeping secondary sanctions targeting countries that continue doing business with Moscow. “There’s a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon,” Trump told reporters, signaling openness to both bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Russia had expressed interest in a meeting, and Trump is willing to meet with both Putin and Zelenskiy. This diplomatic push follows a meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin in Moscow, which Trump described on Truth Social as having made “great progress,” although he later clarified it was not a breakthrough. A Kremlin aide called the discussions “useful and constructive,” with both sides reportedly exchanging signals over Ukraine and exploring areas of potential strategic cooperation between the U.S. and Russia.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy cautiously welcomed the new momentum. In his nightly address, Zelenskiy stated that increased pressure on Moscow appeared to be working, but warned against being misled in negotiations. “The pressure on them works. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details – neither us nor the U.S.,” he said.
Trump has become visibly frustrated with the lack of progress toward peace and has warned of severe consequences if Russia does not comply with U.S. demands. Earlier this week, Trump imposed a 25% tariff increase on India for continuing to buy Russian oil, pushing the total tariff to 50%—one of the highest ever levied by the United States on a key trade partner. Trump hinted that China could face similar penalties, stating, “We did it with India. We’re doing it probably with a couple of others. One of them could be China.”
READ MORE: Trump Imposes 50% Tariff on Indian Imports Over Russian Oil Purchases
Back in Washington, Trump has already begun briefing European allies about the unfolding talks. A German government spokesperson confirmed that the U.S. president shared updates with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other European leaders during a recent call. The consultations reflect Trump’s intention to keep NATO and EU partners informed while pursuing what could be the most consequential peace effort since the war began.
The outcome of this possible Trump-Putin meeting could alter the trajectory of the Ukraine conflict. If negotiations fail, it may result in more sanctions, deeper divides, and increasing economic isolation for countries engaged with Russia. If successful, however, it may offer a rare diplomatic opening to de-escalate the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II.
