The Kremlin says it won’t rule out the possibility of a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in China later this year, while one person was killed after Russia targeted Kyiv in overnight strikes.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that a meeting between the Russian and American presidents could take place if Trump visits Beijing in September, when Putin is scheduled to attend commemorations marking 80 years since the end of World War Two.
“We are preparing for a trip to Beijing. It is indeed on the agenda of the head of state. But we have not heard that President Trump is going to Beijing as well,” Peskov said at a press briefing, according to state news agency TASS.
Potential Meeting at Key Deadline
The September 3 military parade in Beijing would come just a day after Trump’s self-imposed 50-day deadline for Putin to make peace in Ukraine or face much tougher economic sanctions. Trump set the deadline on 14 July, warning Russia that it faces punitive secondary tariffs against countries still trading with it if there is no peace.
“If it so happens that he will also be there, it can’t be ruled out that a question will come up about whether it will be reasonable to hold a meeting,” Peskov added.
The Times newspaper had earlier reported that the leaders of the three victor countries – Russia, China and the United States – could meet at the celebrations in China. Peskov said the Kremlin had previously indicated it had no information about whether such a meeting was possible.
Growing Frustration Over Ukraine
The potential meeting comes as Trump has shown increasing frustration with Putin over the continuing war in Ukraine. On 14 July, Trump complained that despite “very pleasant” phone calls with Putin indicating a desire for peace, the Russian leader continues launching attacks.
“I speak to [Putin] a lot about getting this thing done. And I always say, ‘Well, that was a nice phone call.’ And then missiles are launched into Kyiv or some other city,” Trump said during a White House meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Trump has threatened to impose 100% secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian oil if no peace agreement is reached within 50 days, a move that would particularly impact China, which has propped up the sanctions-hit Russian economy with large-scale oil purchases.
Deadly Overnight Strikes on Kyiv
As diplomatic tensions continue, Russia launched a massive overnight assault on Ukraine’s capital. One person was killed and at least six injured as repeated explosions rocked Kyiv during the mass drone and missile attack early Monday morning.
The large-scale assault caused several fires to break out across the city, including in residential buildings, a children’s daycare, outdoor kiosks and a metro station, according to local officials. Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration Tymur Tkachenko stated that the entrance to the Lukianivska metro station was damaged, though no casualties were reported there.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that a daycare caught fire as a result of the attack, adding that emergency services were working at multiple locations across the capital.
Scale of the Attack
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched over 420 drones and more than 20 missiles, including ballistic missiles, against Ukraine overnight. The attack left two people dead and 15 others injured nationwide, among them a 12-year-old child.
Ukraine’s air defence forces reported downing 200 Russian Shahed-type attack drones and 24 missiles of various types during the night of 20-21 July. The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched 450 aerial threats overnight, including 426 Shahed drones and various types of missiles, including Kinzhal, Kalibr, and Kh-101.
Wider Impact
Other Ukrainian cities were also targeted by Russian strikes. In Ivano-Frankivsk, three villages saw damaged infrastructure, according to Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv. The western city was reportedly hit by Kinzhal hypersonic missiles targeting military facilities.
In the Darnytskyi district of Kyiv, a non-residential building caught fire during the drone attack. Emergency services reported multiple fires across the capital, with damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.
Previous Communications
The Kremlin’s openness to a potential meeting follows previous communications between Trump and Putin. In February 2025, the two leaders held their first formal telephone conversation since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Trump described as “lengthy and very productive.
During that call, Peskov revealed that mutual invitations were exchanged between the leaders to meet in each other’s nations, with Trump extending an invitation for Putin to visit Moscow.
International Context
The potential meeting would occur against the backdrop of ongoing peace negotiations. Russia and Ukraine have held several rounds of talks in Istanbul, with the Kremlin supporting a third round of negotiations “as soon as there is an understanding on the dates.
As the war continues into its fourth year, the international community watches closely for any signs of diplomatic breakthrough, while Ukrainian civilians continue to bear the brunt of nightly attacks on population centres across the country.
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