Putin Meets Trump—Will Zelenskyy Join the Conversation?

U.S. & Russia Heads Set Up a Face‑to‑Face – Is Ukraine in the Mix Too?

What’s the news?

According to the Kremlin, Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin are lining up a meeting in the “coming days”. And guess what? They’ve already picked the spot – no more hunting for a secret bunker!

Will Zelenskyy be on the same table?

• Currently: No concrete word yet. The Kremlin just mentioned the U.S. & Russia sit‑down.
• Possible: If Ukraine is in the game, the conversation might shoot into hard‑core territory.
• Why it matters: Zelensky’s presence could shift the focus from pure diplomacy to a full‑scale triple‑party talk.

What could this mean for Trump’s ceasefire deadline?

Donald Trump’s proposed ceasefire deadline for Moscow might either get a boost or become a nostalgic footnote. In short, a U.S. & Russia summit could:

• Fine‑tune the push for a “stop‑the‑fire” timetable – maybe speeding things up.
• Or, if the talks stall, push the deadline further out or even knock it entirely out of the equation.

Key take‑aways

– Biden & Putin are planning a chat in the near future.

– The venue is locked in, leaving no mystery.

– Whether Zelenskyy will join remains up in the air.

– Trump’s ceasefire deadline could feel the heat of diplomatic negotiations.

Trump and Putin’s Upcoming Face‑Off

Heads up, folks: The U.S.’s “Donny” and Russia’s “Vova” are gearing up for a summit next week. The Kremlin announced on Thursday that the venue has been “decided in principle,” though the exact location is still on the back‑of‑an‑envelope. It’s a classic political shuffle: the real talk takes time, so no concrete date yet.

What We Know (and What We Don’t)

• When: Sometime next week – no confirmed date, but it’s happening.
• Where: The place is locked down, but the name will drop a little later.
• How it got here: U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff recently sat down with Putin in Moscow, so the heads are already warming up.
• Discussion tone: Kremlin keeps it vague, just calling it “constructive” and “signals exchanged.” The White House chooses not to spill the beans either.
• Trump’s take: He’s not claiming a “breakthrough” but wants the dust to settle fast.

Will Zelensky Jump In?

So, the big question: Will Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pop up in that room? Prime mover: Trump said he’s not looking for a dramatic pause but a quick wrap‑up. If Zelensky joins, it could tip the scale, but as of now it’s a blank slate.

Ceasefire Countdown

Trump set a ceasefire deadline for Friday. With the meeting now confirmed, that “flight‑plan” could get a shake‑up. A face‑to‑face with Vova might either steer both sides toward a quick truce or, if tensions flare, fling the deadline back to the dustbin.

Stay tuned – this summit may be the most talked‑about “business meeting” of the year. Who knows what fireworks might erupt, or maybe it’s just a polite nod at the white table.

Will Zelenskyy meet Putin?

Trump’s Moscow Mission: A Possible Triple Take‑Target Summit!

After a quick trip to Moscow, President Trump hinted that he’s got a “good chance” of pulling together Russian President Vlad Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and himself for a face‑to‑face jam‑session that could put an end to the Ukraine war. The big question? Whether that power‑trip will happen sooner than a “long lunch” or get lost in the endless hallway of beige bureaucracy.

What the Kremlin’s Crown Jeweller Said

Ushakov, the Kremlin’s no. 2, stayed slick and told reporters that the main goal should be a one‑on‑one between Trump and Putin: “We’re all about making it successful and productive.” He also brushed the idea of a three‑way summit off the table, giving it a polite no‑comment.

Inside the Iconic Trump‑Zelenskyy Call

On the evening that followed the Moscow summit, Trump rang up Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy reported that EU leaders hopped onto the same call, echoing the Moscow memo‑style decree: “The war must flip.” He laid out a three‑point blueprint for peace, with a dash of realism:

• First, stop the carnage! The ceasefire must be signed by Russia.
• Second, set the stage. A proper format that ensures the leaders’ meeting really works.
• Third, lock down security. Long‑term peace aligned with the U.S. and Europe.

What’s at Stake?

Will the August 8 cease‑fire deadline Trump put on the table shift if a summit locks in next week? Or will the meet get pushed back, leaving the world in suspense? Perhaps the next big headline will read: “Triple Summit: The War Ends or We All Go Home.” Only time, and a bit of diplomacy, will tell.

‘We understand who calls the shots in Russia’

When Diplomacy Didn’t Show Up

The idea of a face‑to‑face between Ukraine’s Zelenskyy and Russia’s Putin has been on the calendar since the invasion kicked off in February 2022. But a few emails and a handful of pandemically delayed meetings have kept the two leaders apart.

Frolicking in Istanbul

• When Putin suggested in May that the world’s two biggest powers sit down, Zelenskyy quickly said “I’ll make the trip.”
• He flew to Istanbul and met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, yet Putin—apparently fashion‑ably late—was nowhere to be found.
• The Kremlin sent a “support squad” instead: deputy foreign‑affairs and defence ministers, a military‑intelligence chief, and a presidential aide.
• Those Istanbul “talks” ended with a prisoner exchange but left the ceasefire still a mere fable.

This pattern kept repeating. Meanwhile the war’s intensity climbed, and Kyiv kept blasting slogans like “Let’s move beyond words.” Zelenskyy famously warned, “We know who’s calling the shots in Russia, so we’re offering a real meeting between leaders, not just chatter.” Moscow’s silent lurches gave little shape to that promise.

Trump’s Trump‑ed Talk

Enter the U.S. president. On a cool Saturday from the White House, he bragged, “I’ve stopped five wars in the last five months,” adding he wants it to be the sixth. The aim? To bring Putin and Zelenskyy on a common ground, or at least give the Kremlin to check its seriousness on the world stage.

Will the Khan‑big deal finally happen? Only time will tell. For now, there’s a polite tug‑of‑war, a missed meeting request, and a leader hoping “serious talk” means more than a polite nod.