White House tames expectations for Trump-Putin summit

U.S. President Donald Trump volition attack his brushwood with Kremlin person Vladimir Putin arsenic a "listening exercise," the White House said, taming expectations that this week's Alaska acme could output a woody to extremity Russia's penetration of Ukraine. 

"This is simply a listening workout for the president. Look, lone 1 enactment that's progressive successful this warfare is going to beryllium present," White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday. "And truthful this is for the president to spell and, again, to get a much steadfast and amended knowing of however we tin hopefully bring this warfare to an end."

The displacement to downplaying the Friday gathering betwixt the 2 heads of authorities — which volition instrumentality spot astatine the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson successful Anchorage, Alaska, according to NBC News reporting — takes spot arsenic Russia has deepened its beforehand successful eastbound Ukraine, successful a apt bid for battlefield leverage up of negotiations. Moscow has persisted connected a acceptable of maximalist conditions to cease the devastating warfare successful Ukraine, including the retainment of occupied territories, Kyiv's renunciation of its ambitions to articulation the NATO confederation and caller elections successful the invaded country.

Concerns person been increasing successful Kyiv and among its European allies that an progressively frustrated Trump, who has criticized some Russia and Ukraine implicit the people of the U.S.-brokered discussions, could propulsion done bid astatine the terms of territorial concessions.

Trump connected Monday circulated the conception of "land swapping" betwixt the parties astatine war, though it remains unclear what Russian territories would beryllium affected arsenic portion of this exercise, fixed Kyiv's deficiency of onshore gains.

"There volition beryllium immoderate onshore swapping going on. I cognize that done Russia and done conversations with everybody. To the good, for the bully of Ukraine. Good stuff, not atrocious stuff. Also immoderate atrocious stuff, for both," the U.S. president told reporters connected Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected the anticipation of surrendering crushed — with the European Union likewise touting the request to respect "territorial integrity" — and has insisted that Kyiv should beryllium included successful bid conversations aiming for a last outcome.

"As for the negotiations, successful immoderate case, they are important astatine the enactment level. But it is intolerable to speech astir Ukraine without Ukraine, and nary 1 volition judge that," Zelenskyy said Tuesday successful translated video footage carried by the Associated Press. "So the speech betwixt Putin and Trump whitethorn beryllium important for their bilateral track, but they cannot hold connected thing astir Ukraine without us."

Speaking to CNBC connected Tuesday, European Union overseas argumentation main Kaja Kallas lambasted Putin arsenic "just pretending to negotiate" and stressed the Kremlin person "doesn't privation Zelenskyy astir that table, due to the fact that that would uncover that helium really doesn't privation to negotiate, and helium conscionable wants to person a representation with President Trump and besides postpone sanctions."

Benjamin Godwin, spouse astatine PRISM Strategic Intelligence, connected Wednesday told CNBC's "Europe Early Edition" that the premise of onshore swapping had diminished the likelihood of occurrence of the Alaska summit. 

"I deliberation this each comes down to the information that the full ground for this gathering is based connected thing that is wholly intolerable for some the Ukrainians and the Europeans and really, the Americans to hold to," helium said. "So what you spot from Karolin Leavitt is truly the White House reeling backmost and backmost and backmost these expectations successful the days starring up to the meeting."

He noted that the champion result for Ukraine would impact Putin overstepping the people by mode of excessive demands and kindling further vexation astatine the White House.

"This is simply a large accidental for Putin to look large and beardown connected the satellite stage, it's a large accidental besides for Trump, helium loves these set-piece events. But yet is thing going to travel of this? It seems precise difficult."

The White House has signaled but truthful acold resisted the impulse to straight face the Kremlin by mode of further sanctions, alternatively opting to use unit connected Moscow's lingering commercialized partners. Last week, the White House announced the imposition of an further 25% tariff connected India, citing its Russian lipid purchases.