Trump does not give up attempts to stop the war in Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace efforts are unfolding along several fronts. While Washington is preparing for talks between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia under the auspices of the White House, Trump continues to promote his mediation in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
So far, he has not achieved any tangible results on this front. Although he had promised to end the war in Ukraine within a couple of days even before the presidential elections, reaching agreements between Moscow and Kyiv has proven to be extremely difficult.
Nonetheless, Trump remains hopeful of securing such a diplomatic victory. Achieving peace between Baku and Yerevan is comparatively easier, since Baku essentially resolved the matter through the 2020 war and only minor adjustments remain. Reconciling Moscow and Kyiv, however, appears nearly impossible, as peace would require one side to back down: either Ukraine must accept the occupation of its territories, or Russia must voluntarily withdraw its forces.
Neither scenario seems realistic. At this stage, the only feasible goal Trump is pursuing is a ceasefire.
Recently, Russian media reported a possible agreement to halt aerial attacks, though fighting on the ground would continue. Aerial ceasefire is crucial not only for Ukraine but also for Russia itself, as its cities are constantly under threat from drone strikes. Ukraine has a sufficient number of UAVs, and drone swarms have unsettled Russian society, finally giving them a taste of what war feels like. According to some reports, Russian entrepreneurs have begun relocating businesses from the country’s western regions to the Far East. These reports, however, could not be independently verified.
In any case, halting aerial attacks is vital for the Russian side, and this is where Washington might have leverage.
On Thursday, Russian media reported that Vladimir Putin named the UAE as a suitable venue for a meeting with Donald Trump. Regarding a potential meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, Putin said that the necessary conditions must first be created—but such conditions remain distant.
On August 7, Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov announced that the Kremlin and the White House had agreed on a personal meeting between the Russian and U.S. presidents in the near future and had already decided on the location, according to the BBC.
Source: Reuters
This upcoming Putin-Trump meeting carries high expectations, but it is not likely to be an easy one. Although Putin regularly compliments Trump, the U.S. president has recently expressed disappointment in his Russian counterpart, questioning the logic behind bombing Ukrainian cities and even calling conversations with Putin meaningless, as noted by news agencies.
Trump plans not only a one-on-one meeting with Putin but also a trilateral summit involving the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S., possibly with the participation of European leaders. President Zelensky is involved in discussions on these plans. He recently spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, followed by a call to Emmanuel Macron.
“We remember that what’s needed is a real ceasefire. Ukraine is ready for it, but Russia has yet to provide a clear public response. The near future will show the consequences if Russia continues to prolong the war and sabotage constructive efforts,” Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel.
According to Bloomberg, citing sources, Trump believes that after his special envoy Steve Witkoff’s recent meeting with Putin in Moscow, the Russian president might be open to peace talks in exchange for discussing the issue of territorial swaps. The Kremlin has not commented on this information.
While the meeting location has been agreed upon, the date has yet to be finalized. There had been reports it could happen next week, but they were later denied.
Bloomberg also reported that Trump told European leaders he believes a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war is achievable, following Witkoff’s visit to Moscow. Trump also warned Zelensky and European leaders that Putin might be willing to begin peace talks in exchange for negotiations on territorial changes.
The Kremlin, for its part, has confirmed preparations for a bilateral meeting between Putin and Trump but denied reports of any agreement on a trilateral summit with Zelensky, according to TRT Global. Earlier, CNN sources in Washington claimed that Putin had supposedly agreed to first meet with Trump and then hold a joint meeting with Zelensky.
“We propose to focus on preparing the bilateral meeting with Trump. As for the trilateral summit that was mentioned in Washington yesterday for some reason—that was only brought up by the American side during talks at the Kremlin. There were no discussions, and Russia has not commented on this,” Ushakov told reporters.
Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that the prospect of Trump and Putin negotiating over Ukraine without Kyiv’s participation is causing concern in Ukraine and European capitals.
“The priorities are absolutely clear. First, the killings must stop—and for that, Russia must agree to a ceasefire. Second, we must find a format that allows leaders to agree on a real and lasting peace,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
As developments show, the situation is extremely complex. Its outcome will become clearer in the coming weeks. For now, the world's attention is focused on tomorrow’s August 8 meeting in Washington between President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
By Tural Heybatov
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