Trump-Putin summit could take place next week, Rome among possible venues

A high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could take place as early as next week, with Rome being discussed as a potential host city, two sources familiar with the ongoing negotiations confirmed.

Discussions surrounding the meeting have reportedly progressed rapidly, with August 11 marked as an initial target date. Should the summit be pushed to later in the week, Rome may still be on the table, although other European and international venues are also being considered, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The proposed meeting would mark the first face-to-face between Trump and Putin since Trump returned to office earlier this year and could represent a major diplomatic moment in the nearly three-year-long war between Russia and Ukraine. However, sources caution that the summit could still collapse due to unresolved tensions over Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly reiterated that he will not concede any territory as part of a peace deal with Russia and emphasized that only Ukraine’s parliament holds the constitutional authority to alter the nation’s territorial boundaries.

A Trump-Putin summit, even if realized, would not guarantee a resolution to the conflict, as Moscow and Kyiv remain deeply divided in their demands. Russia continues to insist on recognition of its control over occupied regions, a stance Kyiv categorically rejects.

Appearing before reporters later at the White House, President Trump declined to confirm the location of any upcoming summit. When asked about the possibility of meeting with both Putin and Zelenskyy, he said, "There's a very good prospect that they will" meet.

Pressed further on whether a peace agreement was within reach, Trump offered a cautious response: "I've been disappointed before with this one."

By Vafa Guliyeva