Can Putin and Trump Meet Next Week?

Moscow, Aug 8 (NationPress) Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed optimism for a presidential summit with US President Donald Trump potentially occurring next week, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) being considered as a possible location.

Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov confirmed that both Moscow and Washington are aligning to facilitate this high-level meeting shortly, with the initiative stemming from the US side, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

This sentiment was echoed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who indicated that there is significant ground to cover in their discussions.

Putin stated that Russia enjoys the support of various allies willing to assist in organizing his meeting with the American leader, including UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

According to reports from the New York Times, Trump aims to meet with Putin next week and subsequently engage in a trilateral dialogue that would involve Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The idea for this direct encounter between the two leaders emerged following a three-hour working session that Putin had with Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, on Wednesday.

During a discussion with European leaders on the same day, Trump noted that the upcoming meetings would include only himself, Putin, and Zelensky, leaving out any European representatives.

When queried about the possibility of meeting with the Ukrainian leader, Putin remarked that the necessary conditions for such a meeting are still not in place. He expressed regret, stating, 'Unfortunately, we are still a long way from creating the necessary conditions.'

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, who welcomed Witkoff at the airport, emphasized that the Putin-Trump meeting would enhance Russia-US relations, allowing Russia to communicate its stance more effectively.

Dmitriev, who also acts as the president's special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, pointed out that the discussions provide a platform to inform US partners that 'Russia's economic growth has significantly outpaced the virtual stagnation plaguing the UK and EU economies.'

He added, 'We see vast potential for mutually beneficial collaboration, including with US investors in Arctic projects, rare earth metals, and infrastructure development.'

Dmitriev concluded that rekindling Russia-US dialogue would be advantageous for both Russian enterprises and US investors looking to access the Russian market.