Washington, 8 August 2025 (dpa/MIA) - US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not need to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before their planned summit.

When asked by a reporter if Putin must first meet with Zelensky to secure a meeting with the United States, Trump replied, "No."

Trump and Putin are expected to meet for the first time next week to discuss ending Russia's war against Ukraine. Both leaders have said that the moment is right for such a summit, although the date and location are still to be confirmed.

The US president did not say how he will handle his 10-day deadline for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which is coming up on Friday. If no progress is made, Trump has threatened sanctions on Russia's trading partners. He has already announced tariffs on India.

Asked if the deadline still stood, Trump said, "We're going to see what he [Putin] has to say. It's going to be up to him."

Russia has been waging a destructive war against Ukraine for more than three years. Trump had repeatedly stated his desire to end the war quickly.

The summit would be the first between a sitting US president and Putin since 2021, when Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva.

Photo: epa