Will Putin pause strikes on Ukraine ahead of meeting with Trump? Expert weighs in

Trump’s meeting with Putin: Why is it a cause for concern?

According to the expert, the potential meeting between Trump and Putin is a cause for concern. He explains this by referring to the historical example from 2018, when both politicians held a two-hour one-on-one meeting in Helsinki during Trump’s first presidential term.

"And then, when the Americans released the transcript of the conversation, they were shocked to find that Putin spoke for 90% of the time, while Trump remained silent. And this despite the fact that the American President is usually talkative. So, people from Trump’s inner circle couldn’t even explain what had happened," Stupak recalls.

He adds that European allies are already insisting that any future negotiations not be held in a one-on-one format, but instead include EU representatives who can advocate for Ukraine’s interests.

"Because Trump is a very unreliable figure. There’s a risk that Putin will start telling him about the history of the Rurik dynasty. As a joke, maybe, but still. He could fill Trump's head with nonsense, and then Trump might come out and say: 'Ukraine, pull out of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, or things will get bad. Otherwise, I won’t give you weapons.' So that’s a very real risk," Stupak says.

According to him, while talks between the leaders are currently being discussed and Western media are reporting a potential Trump-Putin meeting next week, "usually such things don’t happen this quickly."

Stupak emphasized that the main thing is to have well-prepared talking points and to ensure that nothing is decided without Ukraine.

Russia stopped mass attacks on Ukraine. Is this a signal to Trump, or stockpiling?

At the same time, recent days have seen a decrease in drone attacks. While earlier Russia could launch up to 500 drones at Ukraine in a single night, now the number is around 100–200, the expert notes.

"This could be perceived as Putin making concessions to Trump, possibly. Kyiv is not being massively attacked. There are no 500 drones. But the issue of reducing strikes is currently not on the American agenda. Western media wrote that this might be discussed, but there’s no confirmation," Stupak emphasizes.

However, the expert does not rule out that the Russian President might make a short pause in massive air strikes on Ukraine ahead of the meeting with Trump, or stockpile for a major strike afterward.

"Of course, Putin may be stockpiling and then launch a massive strike 5 to 7 days after the meeting. But this is all theoretical," Stupak stresses.

He explains that the Kremlin leader may not even agree to the air ceasefire mentioned in Western media.

"Or he could say: 'Okay, that’s an interesting idea, I’ll instruct my subordinates to work on it. We’ll talk about it at the next meeting.' And that next meeting might be in two months, for example," Stupak adds.

He points out that there are many scenarios the Russian President can use to drag things out. However, according to the expert, "for now, the situation is in Putin’s favor, like it or not."

"Yes, there is economic stagnation, strikes on refineries and railways - that is happening in Russia. But people are still going to war, the budget still has money, so there are gains on the front line, which means attacks must continue. I think that’s his logic. So, Putin will stall," the expert concluded.

Earlier, responding to the Russian massive strikes on Ukraine, Trump gave Putin a deadline. He warned that if no peace deal is reached by August 8, he plans to impose sanctions on Russia.

In recent days, the topic of potential negotiations between Trump and Putin has gained momentum. After US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow on August 6, Trump announced significant progress in talks with the Kremlin.

According to The New York Times, he shared this assessment in conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, adding that he intends to hold a personal meeting with Putin.

Trump also expressed interest in organizing a trilateral meeting with the leaders of the US, Ukraine, and Russia, saying there are good chances it could be arranged.

According to Fox News, a meeting between Trump and Putin is currently being prepared and could take place on Monday or at the end of next week.

The channel’s sources report that the location has not yet been finalized. Reportedly, options being considered include Rome, Hungary, Switzerland, the UAE, and, though less likely, Istanbul.

Read more about all this in the material by RBC-Ukraine.