Trump responds to rumors he set terms for meeting with Putin
Photo: US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
Russian leader Vladimir Putin does not need to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to have a meeting with Donald Trump, said the US President while speaking to reporters.
Trump was asked whether it was true that Putin needed to meet with Zelenskyy first before meeting with him.
"No," the US President replied briefly.
Rumors over possible Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy summit
Previously, an unnamed White House official told Politico that US President Donald Trump would only meet with Vladimir Putin after the Russian President holds a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The official clarified that a potential trilateral summit between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Putin could take place, but only after both leaders meet with Trump separately.
According to ongoing speculation in Western media, bilateral meetings between Trump and each of the two presidents are currently being discussed. The American leader is reportedly considering moving forward with a trilateral summit following these one-on-one talks.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has repeatedly expressed his willingness to meet with Putin, stating that such a meeting could bring peace closer, as only the Kremlin leader makes real decisions in Russia.
Meanwhile, on August 7, Putin did not rule out the possibility of talks with Zelenskyy. However, he noted that certain conditions must first be met and that this is still far off.
