&w=3840&q=100)
Trump's meeting with Putin 'listening exercise for President': White House
Swati Gandhi New Delhi
US President Donald Trump is set to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska on Friday (local time). The meeting, according to the White House, between the two leaders 'is a listening exercise for the president', who is expecting a quick ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, 'Only one party that's involved in this war is going to be present, and so this is for the president to go and to get, again, a more firm and better understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end,' Reuters reported.
She added, 'The president has deep respect for all parties that are involved in this conflict and are trying to bring this conflict to an end.'
Trump will be meeting Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, where the two leaders will hold a one-on-one conversation regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, which has now entered its fourth year. Trump might also consider visiting Russia in the future, Leavitt said, adding, 'Perhaps there are plans in the future to travel to Russia.'
Ahead of the one-on-one meeting, several key issues remain at an impasse:
>Donald Trump has suggested that both sides give up territory to end the war.
> Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists Ukraine's constitution forbids territorial concessions.
>Zelenskyy also stresses no deal with Russia can be made without Ukraine's direct participation in talks.
Ahead of the talks between Trump and Putin, the White House has declined to comment on the conversations between Trump and Zelenskyy. However, Trump, on Monday (local time), said that his Ukrainian counterpart might be invited to a future meeting with Putin.
Meeting suggested by Putin: Tammy Bruce
US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Tuesday (local time) said that the meeting between the two leaders was 'suggested by Putin himself'.
Bruce also highlighted Trump's frustration with Putin's actions, adding that he has 'not been happy with President Putin and his actions'.
Earlier on Monday, Trump, while addressing the White House, said, 'We're going to have a meeting with Vladimir Putin. And at the end of that meeting, probably in the first two minutes, I'll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made.'
Developments in US-Russia ties
Donald Trump, who once vowed to end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours during his election campaign in November, has seen little to no progress in terms of brokering a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine. Trump, who took office on January 20 this year, has tried to put an end to the war.
Unable to broker a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine, Trump is now targeting other nations with additional tariffs or secondary sanctions, including India, for its continued purchase of Russian energy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
2 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Ukraine's Alaska agenda: Kiev wants a lasting ceasefire, NATO-backed security, reparations, and sustained sanctions on Russia
Synopsis As Trump and Putin prepare to meet in Alaska, Ukraine seeks assurances that its interests won't be sacrificed. Kyiv insists on a durable ceasefire, Russian reparations for war damages estimated up to $1 trillion, and binding security guarantees via NATO and the EU. Ukraine also demands the return of abducted children and prisoners of war, alongside maintaining sanctions on Russia. AP Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a joint press statement with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz following talks with European and US leaders in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) As US President Donald Trump prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15, Ukraine hopes for an agreement that will meet its demands of stopping the war and preventing future aggression. But since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will not attend this meeting, Kyiv fears being left out of negotiations that could decide its and its European allies also fear that Friday's Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could yield a settlement that sacrifices Kyiv's interests for the appearance of peace. President Zelensky will hold a pre-summit call with Trump alongside European leaders on Wednesday, August 13, to lay out non-negotiable red lines, including a durable ceasefire, full participation in talks, and compensation for war damage estimated at up to $1 has warned that any decisions made without Ukraine 'are at the same time decisions against peace,' as quoted by Politico. Ukrainian officials say Putin's ultimate goal is not just holding territory but ending Ukraine's independence. These are Kyiv's longstanding demands, which they are eagerly hoping to meet. Kyiv insists on a durable ceasefire before discussing any territorial issues, rejecting US suggestions of 'land swaps' involving the says ceding the region would invite future offensives and undermine Ukraine's Mark Rutte has floated a possible compromise in which some areas remain under Russian control but are legally recognized as Ukrainian.'When it comes to this whole issue of territory, when it comes to acknowledging, for example, maybe in a future deal that Russia is controlling de facto, factually some of the territory of Ukraine, it has to be effectual recognition, and not a political de jure recognition,' he told insists that Moscow must bear the financial burden for the destruction it has inflicted (by starting a war), a toll estimated between $500 billion and $1 trillion in damages to infrastructure, homes, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking at the Ukraine Recovery Conference last month, underlined this demand:'Russia must pay for the approximately €500 billion in damages caused. Until this happens, Moscow must not be granted access to its frozen assets.'Ukraine points to the fact that close European allies hold significant Russian state assets, with almost €200 billion frozen in Belgium alone, as a major source of leverage. Kyiv believes these funds must remain inaccessible to Moscow until full reparations are Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made clear that only full membership in NATO and the European Union can guarantee Ukraine's long-term security:A Politico article quotes Zewleanskey, 'Will we be in NATO? In the EU? I haven't heard anything — simply not a single proposal that would guarantee that a new war won't start tomorrow. We need security guarantees that will preserve, first of all, our state, a sovereign state, our independence.'However, Ukraine faces pushback: US President Donald Trump has ruled out NATO membership, a stance quietly backed by some European capitals, and Moscow demands a permanent NATO veto for Ukraine. Zelenskyy also criticizes EU member states that are hesitant to admit a large, poor country with a vast agricultural now, European partners, not the US, are Ukraine's primary source of military assistance. Since the war began, Europe has provided at least €73.9 billion in military aid, compared to €64 billion from the US, according to the Kiel demands the immediate return of nearly 20,000 children, who it says were abducted by Russia. Only 1,453 have been returned so far, often through mediation by Qatar and other claims these transfers are evacuations to safety, but refuses to return the children to their families, instead placing them in adoption systems and subjecting them to Russian propaganda. In 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin over the unlawful deportation of children from occupied Ukraine to prisoners of war, there has been more progress: more than 2,000 POWs have been exchanged under Trump's mediation, but thousands remain in Russian custody without access for international human rights backed by European allies, demands that existing primary and secondary sanctions remain in place and even be strengthened. They argue that easing sanctions or resuming trade with Russia would allow Moscow to rebuild its war Timothy Ash estimates the war has already cost Russia about $2 trillion, nearly equivalent to its annual risks for Ukraine are clear. As he told Politico, 'Ukraine could survive the war, but not survive the peace,' if a bad deal undermines its security and sovereignty.
Hindustan Times
2 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Lawless city': Trump seeks to extend federal control of Washington DC police
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would ask the Republicans in the US Congress to extend the federal control of Washington city's police force beyond thirty days. Trump deployed 800 National Guard personnel to Washington, after the White House ordered federal forces to take over the city's police department and reduce the crime rate. (Getty Images via AFP) This comes a day after the US President activated National Guard troops, assuming control of Washington, DC's police department, after announcing a 'criminal emergency' in the US capital. Trump further said that any congressional action could also serve as a model for other cities in the US, while not elaborating on how the takeover of Washington's metropolitan police department could be replicated. The US President has, in the past, threatened to expand federal control to Democratic-run cities like Chicago, while claiming that these had failed to address crimes. Trump took federal control of Washington police under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, a federal law which allows the president to do so for up to 30 days under an emergency situation. Also Read | Trump's Washington takeover targets homeless encampments: All you need to know The White House needs approval from both the House and Senate to extend the takeover of the police department. Deployment of National Guard troops Trump deployed 800 National Guard personnel to Washington, after the White House ordered federal forces to take over the city's police department and reduce the crime rate. While announcing the decision, the US President alleged that the Capital had become a 'lawless city'. The deployment was done under the 1973 Home Rule Act, which permits the president to commandeer the city's police force for up to 30 days during an emergency. Trump is the first president to use Section 740 of the law to take over the city's police force. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had, on Tuesday, said that the administration would 'reevaluate and reassess and make further decisions' after the period ends. Leavitt also said that about 850 law enforcement officers had been deployed in Washington on Monday, adding that these officers carried out 23 arrests overnight.
India Today
2 minutes ago
- India Today
US tariff impact will be temporary, private sector should step up: Chief economist
Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran on Wednesday said US tariffs-related challenges will dissipate in the next one or two quarters, and urged the private sector to do more as the country navigates through other longer-term attributed the growth slowdown in FY25, which saw a deceleration to 6.5 per cent from FY24's 9.2 per cent, to tight credit conditions and liquidity issues. The right agriculture policies can add 25 per cent to real GDP growth, Nageswaran the US tariffs, the CEA said it is the second and third order impacts, which will flow once sectors like gems and jewellery, shrimps and textiles have taken the first order brunt, that will be "more difficult" to tackle. The government is aware of the situation and conversations with the impacted sectors have already begun, Nageswaran said, adding that one will hear from the policymakers in the coming days and weeks, but people have to be speculation on whether US officials will visit India for trade talks later this month as reported, Nageswaran said the upcoming meet in Alaska between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin is likely to influence the to spell out any details on the trade negotiations between India and the US, the academic-turned-advisor said things are very fluid at the world stage right now with relations swinging from cooperation to stalemate, and spelled out his expectation of the impact of a 50 per cent US tariff on Indian exports."I do believe that the current situation will ease out in a quarter or two. I don't think that from a long-term picture, the India impact will be that significant but in the short run, there will be some impact," he said no one can guess the exact reasons why President Donald Trump chose to slap the high tariffs on India, wondering if it's the fallout of Operation Sindoor or something even more the CEA said the focus on tariff-related issues should not blind us to more "important challenges", including the impact of artificial intelligence, reliance on one country for critical minerals, and their processing and strengthening of supply exhorted the private sector to do more "as we navigate these longer-term challenges, promising that public policy will play the facilitator's role"."Private sector also has a lot of thinking to do, given the massive strategic challenges we face in the coming years... the private sector also has to think about the long-term rather than the next quarter, which is what might have led to many of the challenges we are currently beginning to face," he said in the comments aimed at India however, did not elaborate on the subject any that the government has allocated money towards the research purposes, he said it is now for the private sector to up their investments in the Indian youth is staring at both physical and health issues arising from excess screen use, consumption of ultra-processed food, etc, which is leading to anxieties and even suicidal thoughts among people, the CEA said, seeking the private sector's help to tackle the welcomed the capital expenditure put in by the private sector in FY26 and data to be released in February next year will attest to the consumption story is "quite healthy", the CEA said, pointing to the data on UPI usage. Specifically on urban consumption, he rued that there is no proper data source to capture services consumption, and added that drawing from listed companies' earnings may also not be the right measure as consumption is moving to the unlisted overall resource mobilisation in the economy is not showing any slackening, the CEA said, asking all to look at banks credit growth, commercial paper issuances, and IPO fundraising China, Nageswaran said "we also need to understand the security dimension and look at the USD 100 billion trade deficit beyond just the number". As a solution, there is a need to diversify the sources of imports and the CEA stressed that the private sector will have a role to play naming China, he said only one country supplies critical minerals, which are essential for semiconductors, artificial intelligence tech, and added that the supply is "critically unstable"."We cannot go from crude oil import dependence to critical minerals and ladders import dependence. Understand that crude oil (sources) at least is more diversified," he said."Indian policy-makers must choose between accepting permanent strategic dependence on adversaries or committing the resources necessary for genuine support to independence," Nageswaran that AI will cause labour displacement, Nageswaran pitched for caution in AI adoption and added that "we will have to choose the areas in which we allow AI to be deployed and harnessed, and also the speed with which we do so".There is a need to create at least 80 lakh new jobs per annum in the next 10–12 years, he added.(Disclaimer: The views, opinions, recommendations, and suggestions expressed by experts/brokerages in this article are their own and do not reflect the views of the India Today Group. It is advisable to consult a qualified broker or financial advisor before making any actual investment or trading choices.)- EndsMust Watch
