Global Anticipation for Putin-Trump Meeting Amid Hopes to End the War

Political and economic developments continue to stir markets ahead of pivotal summits.

Contents

Trump
Daly
Germany

Trump

Putin and Trump Prepare for an Upcoming Meeting Amid Hopes of Ending the Ukraine War

Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov announced on Thursday that Russia and the United States have reached
a preliminary agreement to hold a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming days.
Preparations for the summit are already underway.

Ushakov added that while the exact timeframe needed for organizing the meeting is still under evaluation,
the aim is to hold it within the next week.
Although the location has not been publicly disclosed, both sides have agreed on it, and the venue will be announced later.

He also mentioned that Moscow has yet to respond to a proposal from U.S. Special Envoy Steve Whitcoff,
suggesting a joint meeting including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky alongside Putin and Trump.

This announcement comes after Trump stated from the Oval Office on Wednesday
that he is optimistic about the possibility of meeting with Putin soon,
calling it a “very good opportunity” to pave the way toward resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Daly

U.S. Economy Slowing Down as Rate Cut Timing Approaches

Mary Daly, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco,
stated that a sense of caution is prevailing across the U.S. economy,
leading to slower growth without a full-blown recession.
She noted early signs of labor market softening and warned that further deceleration would be unwelcome.

On trade policy, Daly acknowledged that the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump could raise prices
in the short term but said she does not expect them to lead to long-term inflation requiring aggressive monetary tightening.

She emphasized that the Federal Reserve may soon need to shift its policy path,
stating that “the time is approaching” to cut interest rates.
Daly pointed out that policymakers cannot wait for “complete clarity” before taking action,
especially given the current economic challenges.

Germany

Germany’s Exports to the U.S. Drop to Lowest Level in Over Two Years

Official data released on Thursday showed a significant decline in German exports—the largest economy in Europe—to the United States for the third consecutive month, reaching the lowest level since February 2022.

German exports to the U.S. fell by 2.1% in June on a monthly basis, amounting to €11.8 billion ($13.76 billion),
representing an annual drop of 8.4%.
The decline reflects weakening U.S. demand for German goods amid escalating trade tensions between the two countries.

Conversely, German imports from the United States rose during the same month,
narrowing Germany’s trade surplus with Washington.

Overall, German exports in June rose by 0.8% month-over-month,
supported by stronger shipments within the European Union,
while imports surged by 4.2%. This resulted in a decrease in the goods trade surplus to €14.9 billion, down from €18.5 billion in May.

Global Anticipation for Putin-Trump Meeting Amid Hopes to End the War

Global Anticipation for Putin-Trump Meeting

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