President Donald Trump has made his intentions clear as the midday sun to European leaders. He’s planning on saddling up for some face-to-face time with Russian President Vladimir Putin, possibly as soon as next week, according to reports from the New York Times.
Trump’s digital dispatch on Truth Social, following a chinwag with European bigwigs, held a note of weary hope, “Everyone agrees this War must come to an end…in the days and weeks to come.” But he steered clear of confirming plans for his tête-à-tête with Putin. It’s no secret, though, that Trump has been hankering to bring the curtains down on the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Times’ revelations surfaced mere hours after Trump’s envoy, the unflappable Steve Witkoff, broke bread with Putin in Moscow. Trump painted a picture of their meeting as fruitful as a peach orchard in July, with “great progress” being made.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt chimed in, stating the Russians are eager for a sit-down with Trump. As she put it, “The President is open to meeting with both President Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.” Yet, she side-stepped any mention of when this diplomatic dance might take place.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio threw some caution to the wind, casting doubt over the timing of a proposed meeting. His message to Fox News seemed to temper the heat of expectation, hinging the possibility of the meeting on the progress made by the two sides.
Meanwhile, the White House has been flexing its muscle, threatening “severe tariffs” and other financial blowbacks if the killing doesn’t cease. Rubio mentioned that Trump is poised to decide on sanctions within “the next 24-36 hours”, the same timeframe within which a Putin-Trump conversation could take place.
Trump has also been rattling the tariff sabre at nations buying Russian oil, which could send import taxes for China and India soaring like an eagle over the Grand Canyon.
As we watch this high-noon standoff unfold, we’re left to ponder: Will this meeting precipitate an end to the conflict, or deepen the grooves of discord? As we wait for answers, let’s remember the enduring values that define us.
