Putin wants a photo op with Trump and a sanctions delay, says EU foreign policy chief
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump are set to meet this week to discuss the war in Ukraine.
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financial news
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August 12, 2025
10:59 AM
CNBC
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MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JULY 31 (RUSSIA OUT) Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles during Russian-Laotian talks at the Kremlin on July 31, 2025 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)Contributor | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesRussian President Vladimir Putin is not actually interested in negotiating when he meets his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump to discuss the war in Ukraine, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told CNBC on Tuesday.European officials and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have expressed concerns at being sidelined from the Putin-Trump meeting in Alaska on Friday
The Ukrainian leader warned that Russia is planning further offensives and cannot be trusted, while European leaders have been scrambling to secure Ukraine a seat at the table."In order to have any deal implemented, you need Europe and you need Ukraine
So it is that Putin is just pretending to negotiate," Kallas said on CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe.""Putin doesn't want Zelenskyy around that table, because that would reveal that he actually doesn't want to negotiate, and he just wants to have a picture with President Trump and also postpone sanctions," she said
CNBC has ed the Kremlin for a response to Kallas' claims and is awaiting a response.watch now10:1010:10Watch CNBC’s full interview with the EU's top diplomat Kaja KallasSquawk Box EuropeEuropean officials and Zelenskyy have been sidelined from the Putin-Trump meeting in Alaska on Friday, which has caused much irritation
Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is planning further offensives and cannot be trusted, while European leaders have been scrambling to try and influence Trump and get Ukraine a seat at the table.European leaders, including Zelenskyy, are set to meet for a virtual summit later on Tuesday, which will reportedly focus on ways to pressure Russia, the fate of Ukrainian territories seized by Russia and possible security guarantees for Kyiv
Trump has also been invited.U.S. has threatened, but not yet implemented sanctions on Russia
European officials have long been trying to pressure Washington D.C. to implement measures, which could put pressure on Putin.Ahead of the talks between Trump and Putin, concerns have also grown that the U.S. president may pursue a solution that would be unfavourable for Ukraine.Trump suggested on Monday that there could "some swapping" of territory as part of a peace deal though he insisted the U.S. "would try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine."Sidelined from Trump-Putin talks, Ukraine warns the world not to trust RussiaThe EU's Kallas on Tuesday said no deal could be implemented behind Ukraine's back
When asked how the EU could react should Trump agree to cede some Ukrainian territory to Russia, she said: "How would that work in practice, really, if Ukraine doesn't agree to this, then how would it really work?"Putin ly just wants concessions, she said, adding that before any talks ceding territory, a ceasefire should be discussed."Just to recall that Ukraine agreed to unconditional ceasefire already five months ago, and since then, Putin and Kremlin, Russia has just been playing games," Kallas said."Russia could stop this war today
Just stop bombing the civilians and civilian infrastructure, and the war would be over," she added.The EU diplomat also addressed tensions within the bloc regarding its apach to the war.Hungary, which has previously created hurdles for the apval of EU sanctions against Russia, this week chose not to endorse a statement by the bloc that said Ukraine must be free to decide its own future."We definitely also need to discuss our working methods, because this is a crucial time for Europe, it is a crucial time for our security, and we need to be able to adopt decisions
We have been able to adopt decisions so far, but it's of course, increasingly more difficult," Kallas said.Trump-Putin talks are already a triumph for Moscow, its economy and — CNBC's Holly Ellyatt and Silvia Amaro contributed to this report.
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