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Washington—President Donald Trump has expressed willingness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, White House Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed, partially corroborating earlier reports by *The New York Times*. The prospect emerged during a call between Trump and Zelensky that reportedly included NATO Secretary General-designate Mark Rutte and leaders of Britain, Germany, and Finland, according to a senior Ukrainian source.
“The Russians indicated interest in meeting President Trump, and he is prepared to meet both President Putin and President Zelensky,” stated Leavitt. Trump later told reporters at the White House there are “good chances” for a Putin meeting but offered no specifics. *The New York Times* claims Trump aims to meet Putin within the next week, followed by a trilateral summit including Zelensky.
Economic Moves**
Separately, Trump announced plans to appoint an interim Federal Reserve governor to replace Adriana D. Kugler upon her departure, with a permanent nominee to be named “in the next two to three days.” He also threatened 100% tariffs on imported semiconductors, exempting companies manufacturing in the U.S.
In a related development, Trump hailed Apple’s new $100 billion U.S. investment, bringing its total stateside commitments to $600 billion. “This is a significant step toward ensuring iPhones sold in America are made in America,” he declared.
Geopolitical Tensions**
The Kremlin condemned as “illegitimate” Trump’s efforts to pressure India into halting Russian oil imports. Trump retaliated by vowing “substantial” tariff hikes against New Delhi over its trade ties with Moscow. He asserted a $10-per-barrel oil price drop would compel Putin to “stop killing in Ukraine”—a claim analysts dispute, noting U.S. sanctions could instead inflate prices.
Despite OPEC+ nations, including Russia, agreeing to boost output by 547,000 barrels daily from September, oil prices dipped only 1% Tuesday.
Ukraine Stalemate**
Three sources familiar with Kremlin discussions told Reuters Putin “will not bend” to Trump’s threats and remains committed to Ukraine operations, confident of Russian victory and skeptical of U.S. sanctions’ impact. Bloomberg sources added Putin might offer limited concessions like halting aerial bombardments but rejects a ceasefire.
Zelensky, who discussed sanctions with Trump by phone, countered that Russia’s “declining economy” makes it vulnerable to new U.S. restrictions. The European Commission welcomed “any pressure on Russia, particularly from the U.S.”
Diplomacy and Escalation**
While Trump imposed secondary sanctions only on India thus far, he confirmed tariff truce extensions with China after last week’s Stockholm meeting, stating: “We’re making progress… I have an excellent relationship with Xi Jinping.”
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly engaged in de-escalation calls with Putin amid Moscow-Washington tensions, echoing Israel’s 2022 mediation efforts. Meanwhile, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden pledged $500 million for U.S. arms to Ukraine, following a similar Dutch commitment.
On the ground, Russia claimed control of a Dnipropetrovsk-region village. Ukrainian officials reported four civilian deaths in northeastern shelling, while Russian-backed authorities in Luhansk accused Kyiv of a drone strike killing three water utility workers.
(Translated and adapted from ANSA original)*