Trump Defies Allies: Will Meet Putin Without Zelenskyy
Trump ignores Ukraine plea, backs Putin meet without conditions
In a dramatic twist that has stirred global diplomatic circles, former President Donald Trump declared he would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin — even if Putin refuses to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. When directly asked by a reporter whether Putin would have to meet Zelenskyy as a condition for U.S. talks, Trump replied bluntly: “No, he doesn't. No.” This stunning admission came shortly after Putin publicly floated the idea of meeting Trump next week, possibly in the United Arab Emirates, while the Biden-era White House remained entangled in the logistics and political fallout of any such summit.
Adding fuel to the controversy, the Kremlin’s statement coincided with a looming White House deadline demanding that Moscow show credible steps toward ending the ongoing war in Ukraine — or face heightened economic sanctions. When pressed about whether this deadline would be upheld, Trump offered a cryptic, almost reluctant answer: “It's going to be up to him... Very disappointed.” Trump’s comments have raised alarm not just in Washington but across Europe, where governments fear Ukraine may be sacrificed in the name of “strongman diplomacy.”
Despite public hesitation from a White House official earlier in the day — who initially said that no summit would happen unless Putin agreed to engage Zelenskyy — the stance later softened, hinting that it was merely “less likely.” Meanwhile, Putin remained evasive about meeting Zelenskyy directly, saying that while it’s “a possibility,” certain “conditions” would have to be met — a thinly veiled rejection that echoed the Kremlin's longtime stance that any such meeting should only occur if an agreement is nearly finalized.
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Ukraine, increasingly worried about being sidelined by bilateral U.S.-Russia talks, saw Zelenskyy rushing to secure European backing. On Thursday, the Ukrainian leader called several heads of state, pushing the narrative that any resolution to the war must involve the continent's collective voice, not just Trump and Putin in a closed-door negotiation. Zelenskyy emphasized that “Ukraine is not afraid of meetings” and pressed Russia to show similar courage, while highlighting that a ceasefire and firm long-term security guarantees must form the foundation of any peace deal.
As speculation swirled, Putin’s adviser Yuri Ushakov downplayed the notion of Zelenskyy joining the summit, stating that the Kremlin’s focus was on making the Trump-Putin meeting “successful and productive.” Russian officials seemed far more interested in economic negotiations and possible joint investments, including in rare earth elements, than in resolving the brutal conflict that has devastated Ukraine for over three years. The proposed summit would be the first major U.S.-Russia engagement since Biden met Putin in Geneva back in 2021.
With little progress on the battlefield and peace talks stalled, the timing of the summit feels ominous. Russia’s invasion has already led to over 12,000 civilian deaths and tens of thousands of military casualties on both sides. Western governments continue to accuse Putin of deliberately dragging out the war to seize more territory, while offering no meaningful concessions in return. Trump, once sympathetic to Putin and even known to echo Kremlin talking points, now shows signs of frustration with Russia’s intransigence — but critics fear it’s too little, too late.
Meanwhile, on the streets of Kyiv, opinions remain sharply divided. Some Ukrainians expressed cautious optimism, saying that peace talks are the only way out of a war that has no clear end. Others were more cynical, believing that a Trump-Putin meeting could lead to Ukraine being cut out of its own fate. The skepticism was further reinforced by a fresh Gallup poll showing that public support in Ukraine for continuing the war has significantly eroded. While most Ukrainians in 2022 supported fighting “until victory,” now nearly 70% say the country should push for a negotiated settlement as soon as possible.
The pressure is mounting from all sides. On Wednesday, Russia launched another missile strike in Ukraine’s Dnipro region, killing four and injuring eight, even as Trump publicly urged Putin to halt civilian attacks. Despite these appeals, the strikes continued — suggesting that Putin is more interested in manipulating optics than in seriously ending the war.
As tensions peak, one thing is clear: a Trump-Putin summit without Zelenskyy would be a diplomatic earthquake, possibly reshaping the entire future of the war. Whether it ends with peace or betrayal is anyone’s guess.
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