And Jennifer Kavanagh, Senior Fellow and Director of Military Analysis at U.S.-based think tank Defense Priorities, said that while such a head-to-head could offer diplomatic progress, it also carried serious risks without proper groundwork. Not least owing to the US President’s “impulsive” nature.
Ms Kavanagh said: “For example, the two teams might hash out the details of a limited ceasefire on long-range air attacks on civilian or energy targets in Ukraine or discuss broader U.S.-Russia security issues such as the locations of U.S. forces in Europe. They might discuss each side’s red lines in a future settlement or areas for compromise.”
Nevertheless, Ms Kavanagh cautioned that careful planning is essential before any leader-level talks are held, explaining: “With this type of preparation beforehand, a bilateral meeting with Putin or a trilateral meeting that includes Zelensky could be a productive way to push forward progress toward a settlement, even if all issues are not resolved.”
With pressure building on all sides, a Trump-Putin summit could shape the next phase of the conflict—but as Ms Kavanagh pointed out, the stakes are high.
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