Donald Trump has announced he will meet Vladimir Putin without Ukraine's Vlodomyr Zelensky.
06:49, Fri, Aug 8, 2025 Updated: 06:50, Fri, Aug 8, 2025
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Vlodomyr Zelensky has been busy on the phone (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump lining up Russia-Ukraine peace talks with Vladimir Putin has left Vlodomyr Zelensky urgently bringing European allies into the frame. The Ukrainian president responded to the Kremlin's refusal to invite him to a three-way meeting with Trump, saying: “Ukraine is not afraid of meetings and expects the same brave approach from the Russian side.”
His comments came on the eve of a White House deadline for Moscow to show progress toward ending the war in Ukraine or suffer more economic sanctions.
When asked on Thursday at the White House whether his deadline for Friday would hold, Mr Trump said of Putin: "It’s going to be up to him. We’re going to see what he has to say. It’s going to be up to him. Very disappointed."
The US president also touched on the killing that has continued on both sides, adding: "I don’t like long waits. I think it’s a shame."
Ukraine strikes 'high-value' Russian targets in Crimea, report says
Ukraine has struck "high-value" Russian military targets in Crimea, including an assault landing craft and three radar stations, according to a report in The Kyiv Independent.
Among the targets hit was a Project 02510 BK-16 high-speed landing craft used in coastal operations and to move troops. The strike reportedly caused fire damage to the vessel.
The attack also destroyed or damaged radar installations reportedly essential for Russia's air defence system on the peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
David Lammy is due to meet US vice-president JD Vance amid the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
The Foreign Secretary is expected to host Mr Vance at Chevening, his official country retreat in Kent. The vice-president is on a summer holiday with his family in the UK.
They will discuss UK-US relations in a bilateral meeting before being joined by their families.
JD Vance will be on holiday in the UK (Image: Getty)
A meeting between Putin and Mr Trump would be a significant milestone in the war, but there is no guarantee such a meeting would lead to the end of the fighting. Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on their demands.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said a lot has to happen before a meeting can happen.
Mr Rubio said the US would be having talks with European allies and the Ukrainians. He said Mr Trump meeting directly with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine would help close an agreement.
He cautioned: "We’ve got to get close enough to that point so that a meeting like that will be productive and worth doing."
News of a potential meeting with Putin came hours after Mr Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow.
Mr Trump had posted earlier on Truth Social that Witkoff "had a highly productive meeting" with Putin in which "great progress was made".
Mr Zelensky has been willing to meet face-to-face with Putin to end the conflict, but Russia has repeatedly rejected the idea.
Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky told reporters a location for the meeting has been agreed "that they don’t want to discuss".
Asked what Russia’s aim is for the meeting, Polyansky said: "Russia’s aims are always peace and security in the world. They are not changing, and that’s the same aim that we pursue in this kind of negotiations."
Trump and Putin could meet as soon as next week (Image: Getty)
Europe must be involved
Zelensky has insisted any peace broken between Ukraine and Russia must involve Europe.
The stance comes following a call with German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, on Thursday.
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