Settlement on Putin-Trump talks ‘primarily reached,’ Kremlin aide says, however performs down three-way summit with Zelenskyy
Senior Kremlin aide and former Russian ambassador to the US Yuri Ushakov has simply stated that the 2 sides “essentially reached” an settlement to carry a gathering between Putin and Trump “in the coming days.”
“We are now beginning concrete preparations together with our American colleagues,” he added in televised feedback.
However as my colleague Shaun Walker notes, there may be a fairly main distinction there in comparison with Trump’s authentic intentions of a three-way summit that might additionally embody Zelenskyy.
In his feedback, Ushakov has thrown chilly water on the US suggestion {that a} three-way assembly with Zelenskyy would comply with shortly after.
“As for a three-way meeting, which for some reason Washington was talking about yesterday, this was just something mentioned by the American side during the meeting in the Kremlin. But this was not discussed. The Russian side left this option completely without comment,” stated Yuri Ushakov, a key aide to Vladimir Putin.
Key occasions
A Trump-Putin assembly could be the primary US-Russia management summit since former president Joe Biden met with Putin in Geneva in 2021, AFP famous.
However there may be no indication as to the place the assembly might happen this time spherical.
Trump advised reporters that there was a “good chance” that it might occur “very soon,” with US media reporting it may very well be as early as subsequent week, with Trump hoping it might later result in a three-way assembly with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, too.
Morning opening: Planning the following steps
Jakub Krupa
With White Home officers saying that US president Donald Trump might meet Russian president Vladimir Putin as quickly as subsequent week to debate the warfare, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is hitting the telephones at present to seek the advice of with European companions on the the best way to greatest plan the following steps.
We don’t know the small print of what Zelenskyy discovered from Trump throughout their telephone name final night time, joined by some European leaders, however it’s clear that there’s a momentum to push Russia additional, and Kyiv will need to take advantage of it.
In a morning replace, Zelenskyy stated he had already spoken with Nato secretary common Mark Rutte and Finnish president Alexander Stubb, and that he would have additional calls with German chancellor Friedrich Merz and the leaders of France and Italy. Individually, there shall be some technical talks on the degree of nationwide safety advisers.
Zelenskyy defined his pondering:
“The priorities are completely clear.
First – an finish to the killing, and it’s Russia that should conform to a ceasefire.
Second – a format for leaders, in order that such a gathering can result in a very lasting peace. We in Ukraine have repeatedly stated that discovering actual options will be actually efficient on the degree of leaders. It’s vital to find out the timing for such a format and the vary of points to be addressed.
Third – long-term safety. That is potential along with america and Europe.”
He then added:
“Ukraine has by no means needed warfare and can work towards peace as productively as potential. The principle factor is for Russia, which began this warfare, to take actual steps to finish its aggression.
The world has leverage over the aggressor and the means to confirm whether or not guarantees are being saved. I’m grateful to everybody who’s firmly dedicated to bringing this warfare to a dignified finish.”
Elsewhere, we shall be wanting on the newest on EU-US commerce from Brussels, because the “joint statement” fleshing out the small print of the settlement is now lengthy overdue.
I’ll carry you all the important thing updates right here.
It’s Thursday, 7 August 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa right here, and that is Europe Reside.
Good morning.