The tale of two summits is defining the latest chapter in the Ukraine war. After his own recent summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, U.S. President Donald Trump is now demanding another: a direct meeting between the Russian leader and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump has attached a firm two-week deadline to this demand. He has made it clear that the future of U.S. policy in the region—whether it involves sanctions or disengagement—hinges on whether this crucial second summit materializes. “It takes two,” Trump stated, placing the onus on Putin and Zelensky.
In the wake of the Alaska meeting, Putin has expressed optimism about his U.S. counterpart. His description of Trump as a “light at the end of the tunnel” suggests that the one-on-one dialogue was productive and could pave the way for further negotiations.
However, the path to a Putin-Zelensky summit is fraught with challenges. Putin’s strong rhetoric on Russian sovereignty, delivered shortly after his praise for Trump, underscores the deep ideological divides that must be bridged for any meaningful peace talks to succeed under the pressure of Trump’s deadline.