FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
White House officials are tempering expectations ahead of Friday's summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, casting it as a step toward a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine and avoiding promises of a ceasefire or any other kind of grand deal.
The goal, a White House official said, is for Trump to simply understand Putin's idea, find out if the Russian leader is serious and work toward a three-way meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
It's all about "trusting Trump's instincts," said a White House official who, like others in this story, was granted anonymity to discuss the administration's thinking.
Although the president has repeatedly complained about Putin's "stupidity" and double-talk, the administration believes Putin has given signs that this time is different.
" Putin offered a plan. It may not be a workable plan, but there was something on paper that shows progress ," the official said.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff returned from Russia last week and told Trump that Putin wanted to meet. “Trump sees this as progress, so he’s going to go listen to it ,” the official said.
The White House has not revealed exactly what Putin wants, but Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte have said that exchanging land for peace, an idea that Zelensky has immediately rejected, is on the table.
Trump's willingness to hold a meeting without preconditions underscores his desire to end the war and the confidence he has in his ability to understand Putin's intentions.
"Once they talk, Trump will be able to gauge how seriously Putin takes peace ," a second White House official said. K
Trump on Monday claimed he could know within two minutes of meeting with Putin whether progress was possible.
" I could say, 'Good luck, keep fighting,' or I could say we can make a deal ," the President said.
A person close to the White House noted that Zelensky, in part due to corruption allegations, is politically weak, offering Putin an opportune time to exploit his advantage.
" All of this is leading President Trump toward a judicial decision regarding Putin's intentions," the person said.
Lini një Përgjigje