MOSCOW — August 11, 2025 — Russia hopes the upcoming summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will give a much-needed push toward normalizing relations, including the restoration of direct air travel between the two countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Izvestia.
“We expect the upcoming high-level meeting to provide an impetus for normalizing bilateral relations, which could help unblock issues such as restoring air links,” Ryabkov said, noting that “the leaders will, of course, focus on other major topics.”
Ryabkov admitted there has been no progress on the return of Russian diplomatic property seized by U.S. authorities.
Summit Set for Alaska
Both the Kremlin and the White House confirmed over the weekend that Putin and Trump will meet in Alaska on August 15. According to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, talks will center on possible long-term solutions to the war in Ukraine. Preparations for the summit are already under way, with both sides describing the process as complex and sensitive.
A follow-up summit could take place in Russia, Ushakov added, noting that an invitation has already been sent to Trump.
For his part, Trump told reporters on Monday that he intends to ask Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine. He also expressed dissatisfaction with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and revealed plans to arrange a meeting between Zelensky and the Russian leader.
