In a significant diplomatic move, the top diplomats from Russia and the United States engaged in a phone call on Tuesday in anticipation of a scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin later this week in Anchorage, Alaska.
According to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that both sides expressed a strong commitment to holding productive discussions.
In parallel, the US Department of State echoed this sentiment, emphasizing their mutual desire to ensure a successful engagement.
The White House, through spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, highlighted that President Trump aims to address the ongoing conflict in Ukraine during the meeting.
Leavitt stated, “On Friday morning, Trump will travel across the country to Anchorage, Alaska, for a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin,” adding that Trump is “determined to try and end this war and stop the killing.”
Before the meeting, President Trump commented on the potential for reaching an agreement with Putin, saying he would assess what Putin “has in mind” to bring an end to the fighting.
The president also mentioned discussing “land swapping,” suggesting that he might be open to an arrangement that allows Russia to retain control over certain parts of Ukraine.
However, such propositions are met with resistance from Kyiv, which insists that any negotiations involving the cession of occupied territories would be unacceptable.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the situation, revealing that a US official indicated Putin’s expectation for Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30 percent of the Donetsk region under Ukrainian control to facilitate a ceasefire.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine will not concede any of its territories, reinforcing that such actions contradict Ukrainian law and would foster further Russian aggression.
Moscow has consistently demanded that any agreement necessitates Ukraine’s relinquishment of territories captured since 2014, while also urging a halt to Western support for Ukraine and termination of Kyiv’s NATO aspirations.
Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett noted Trump’s altered approach leading up to the meeting.
Earlier in the month, Trump set an August 8 deadline for Putin to cease attacks on Ukraine, threatening secondary tariffs and sanctions if he failed to comply.
However, the current framework of the upcoming meeting indicates a shift in strategy, as the White House outlines the primary objective as listening to Putin rather than enforcing immediate concessions.
Halkett remarked, “There’s been a real shifting of strategy and goals in terms of what can be accomplished.”
In preparation for this crucial dialogue, Trump is scheduled to conduct a call with European allies on Wednesday.
This meeting will mark Putin’s first visit to the United States since 2015, when he participated in the United Nations General Assembly.
image source from：aljazeera
