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| Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to meet in coming days, Kremlin aide says | Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to meet in coming days, Kremlin aide says |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Watch: Trump says there is a "good prospect" of summit with Putin and Zelensky "very soon" | Watch: Trump says there is a "good prospect" of summit with Putin and Zelensky "very soon" |
| US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have agreed to meet in the "coming days", the Kremlin has said. | |
| This comes after Trump said there was a "good chance" he could meet Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky together "very soon" to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. | |
| Zelensky indicated support for that idea, while Putin said he was not against meeting the Ukrainian leader but this was "very far" from it happening. | |
| Trump's deadline for Russia to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine or face more sweeping sanctions is due to expire on Friday. | Trump's deadline for Russia to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine or face more sweeping sanctions is due to expire on Friday. |
| A meeting between Trump and Putin would follow US envoy Steve Witkoff holding talks with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday. | |
| Witkoff has travelled to Moscow four times previously, visits followed by optimism from Trump but ultimately no major breakthrough in peace talks. | Witkoff has travelled to Moscow four times previously, visits followed by optimism from Trump but ultimately no major breakthrough in peace talks. |
| Speaking on Thursday, Putin said the United Arab Emirates could host his meeting with Trump, potentially as early as next week. | Speaking on Thursday, Putin said the United Arab Emirates could host his meeting with Trump, potentially as early as next week. |
| Meanwhile, a White House official said no date or location has been set, according to CBS, the BBC's media partner in the US. | |
| Putin also referred to a potential meeting with Zelensky, saying "conditions" had not been met and there was "still a long haul ahead for creation of such conditions". | |
| Previously, Putin said he would only meet Zelensky during a final phase of negotiations. Kyiv and its Western partners reject Moscow's demands for ending the war. | Previously, Putin said he would only meet Zelensky during a final phase of negotiations. Kyiv and its Western partners reject Moscow's demands for ending the war. |
| Zelensky indicated his support for a summit, acknowledging that various formats of meetings had been discussed - "two bilateral and one trilateral" - and added that Europe "must be a participant" in any talks. | Zelensky indicated his support for a summit, acknowledging that various formats of meetings had been discussed - "two bilateral and one trilateral" - and added that Europe "must be a participant" in any talks. |
| He wrote on X: "Ukraine is not afraid of meetings and expects the same brave approach from the Russian side." | He wrote on X: "Ukraine is not afraid of meetings and expects the same brave approach from the Russian side." |
| When asked at a White House briefing on Wednesday night whether Zelensky and Putin had agreed to a three-way summit, Trump had said there was a "very good prospect". | When asked at a White House briefing on Wednesday night whether Zelensky and Putin had agreed to a three-way summit, Trump had said there was a "very good prospect". |
| Last month, Trump admitted to the BBC that after all four of Witkoff's previous visits, Putin had disappointed him after talks had initially led to optimism. | Last month, Trump admitted to the BBC that after all four of Witkoff's previous visits, Putin had disappointed him after talks had initially led to optimism. |
| The US President is now striking a more cautious tone, telling reporters on Wednesday: "I don't call it a breakthrough...we have been working at this for a long time. There are thousands of young people dying... I'm here to get the thing over with." | The US President is now striking a more cautious tone, telling reporters on Wednesday: "I don't call it a breakthrough...we have been working at this for a long time. There are thousands of young people dying... I'm here to get the thing over with." |
| On Wednesday, the Kremlin released a vague statement about Witkoff's visit, calling the discussions "constructive" and noting that both sides had exchanged "signals". | On Wednesday, the Kremlin released a vague statement about Witkoff's visit, calling the discussions "constructive" and noting that both sides had exchanged "signals". |
| Zelensky meanwhile said he had spoken to Trump about Witkoff's visit, with European leaders also on the call. | Zelensky meanwhile said he had spoken to Trump about Witkoff's visit, with European leaders also on the call. |
| The Ukrainian president has been warning that Russia would only make serious moves towards peace if it began to run out of money. | The Ukrainian president has been warning that Russia would only make serious moves towards peace if it began to run out of money. |
| Images shared by Russian outlets showed Putin and Witkoff - who have met several times previously - smiling and shaking hands in a gilded hall at the Kremlin | Images shared by Russian outlets showed Putin and Witkoff - who have met several times previously - smiling and shaking hands in a gilded hall at the Kremlin |
| Expectations are muted for a settlement by Friday - when Trump's deadline expires - and Russia has continued its large-scale air attacks on Ukraine despite the US threat of sanctions. | Expectations are muted for a settlement by Friday - when Trump's deadline expires - and Russia has continued its large-scale air attacks on Ukraine despite the US threat of sanctions. |
| As pressure builds, Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on Indian imports over its continued purchase of Russian oil. | As pressure builds, Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on Indian imports over its continued purchase of Russian oil. |
| Before taking office in January, Trump said he would be able to end the war between Russia and Ukraine in a day. The conflict has raged on and his rhetoric towards Moscow has since hardened. | Before taking office in January, Trump said he would be able to end the war between Russia and Ukraine in a day. The conflict has raged on and his rhetoric towards Moscow has since hardened. |
| Three rounds of direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul have failed to bring the war closer to an end, three-and-a-half years after Moscow launched its full-invasion. | |
| Moscow's military and political preconditions for peace are seen by Kyiv and its allies as the de facto capitulation of Ukraine. | |
| Russian demands include Ukraine becoming a neutral state, dramatically reducing its military and abandoning its Nato aspirations, as well as lifting of international sanctions imposed on Russia. | |
| Moscow also wants Ukrainian military withdrawal from its four partly occupied regions in the south-east, and the demobilisation of its soldiers. | |
| It also demands international recognition of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as the southern Crimea peninsula illegally annexed in 2014. | |
| Meanwhile, the US approved $200m (£150m) in additional military aid to Ukraine on Tuesday, including support for drone production. | Meanwhile, the US approved $200m (£150m) in additional military aid to Ukraine on Tuesday, including support for drone production. |