Trump-Putin, Armenia-Azerbaijan Summits Set Next Week

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to meet next week, possibly in the UAE, for their first summit since 2021, focusing on the Ukraine war. There are no confirmed plans for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to participate, as previous U.S. conditions for a Zelenskyy meeting have been dropped. The U.S. is increasing pressure on Russia with threats of new sanctions and higher tariffs on countries importing Russian oil, including India. Separately, Trump will host Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the White House for a 'Historic Peace Summit' to end longstanding conflict and sign economic cooperation agreements. The Armenia-Azerbaijan deal includes a new South Caucasus transit corridor and regional development initiatives. Despite promises to end the Ukraine war swiftly, Trump has yet to achieve a breakthrough nearly seven months into his second term.