Daijiworld Media Network- Washington

Washington, Aug 13: The White House on Tuesday said that the upcoming Alaska summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will serve as a “listening exercise” for the American leader, downplaying expectations of an immediate breakthrough in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“Only one party involved in this war will be present. This is for the president to gain a firmer and better understanding of how we can, hopefully, bring this war to an end,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.

The one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin will take place in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday. Leavitt indicated that the U.S. President could travel to Russia in the future.

While Trump has suggested that ending the war may require ceding territory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has maintained that Ukraine’s constitution bars such an arrangement, stressing that no deal can be made without Kyiv’s participation.

The White House refused to confirm whether Trump and Zelenskiy had spoken ahead of the Putin meeting, though Trump has hinted that Zelenskiy could be invited to join future talks.

“The president has deep respect for all parties working to end this conflict,” Leavitt added.