Kremlin unsure of Putin–Trump meeting amid global uncertainty

The Kremlin said on Friday it could not predict whether Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump would meet in person this year, citing the increasingly unpredictable nature of global affairs.

While Moscow has reiterated that Putin remains open to a direct meeting with Trump, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the challenges of arranging such an encounter. "I wouldn't venture to make such predictions," he told reporters when asked about the likelihood of a summit. "We live in such a turbulent world that it is impossible to make forecasts even for next week," he added, alluding to the ongoing Israel–Iran conflict.

Putin and Trump have spoken by phone five times so far this year, with the latest conversation taking place last Saturday, according to public readouts from both governments. Despite this ongoing communication, formal preparations for a face-to-face summit have yet to materialise.

According to Peskov, planning a bilateral meeting is a complex process that demands expert-level groundwork and political will from both sides. He also confirmed that a separate track of dialogue between the two nations—focused on easing longstanding bilateral tensions—had recently stalled.

Moscow disclosed earlier this week that the United States had cancelled the next round of talks aimed at resolving so-called "irritants" in the bilateral relationship. However, Peskov maintained that discussions over a potential peace settlement for the Ukraine conflict were still underway.

"The U.S. side wants to link these two tracks, but we believe that resolving bilateral issues will create a more constructive environment for advancing the Ukraine peace process," he said.

Despite growing frustration in Washington over the lack of progress in Ukraine, Moscow expressed hope that talks could resume. "We hope that in the foreseeable future we will reach an agreement on new dates [for discussions on bilateral issues]," Peskov concluded.

As diplomatic tensions persist and new geopolitical crises emerge, the prospect of a Putin–Trump summit remains uncertain—another reflection of a world in flux.

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