Putin and Trump meet, no guaranteed Ukraine ceasefire

If NBC reports are accurate, a potential summit between Putin and Trump may hinge on a meeting between the Russian president and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which could jeopardize the summit.

The meeting would mark the first encounter between a sitting US and Russian president in over four years, amid strained bilateral relations.

While a Putin-Trump summit could indicate a breakthrough in negotiations, it might also be a symbolic gesture without substantive progress.

There are speculations that the Kremlin's interest in the summit could be to appease Trump and avoid potential sanctions, rather than a genuine commitment to resolving the Ukraine conflict.

Despite Trump's efforts to end the war, Moscow has shown no signs of compromising its stance on the battlefield.

Russian media outlets have portrayed Putin's meeting with Witkoff as a strategic move to buy time before Trump's deadline, suggesting that Putin aims to secure Russia's interests in the negotiations.

The summit is likely to take place in the United Arab Emirates, a country with diplomatic ties to both Russia and the US, and where Putin hinted as a suitable location.

However, if the condition of Putin meeting Zelenskyy stands, the summit's occurrence remains uncertain, as Putin has previously declined to meet Zelenskyy, considering him illegitimate.