Kremlin: Putin-Trump meeting needs preparatory work first

The Kremlin's insistence on expert-level groundwork before any Putin-Trump summit signals that Moscow wants format and agenda settled before committing to a high-stakes encounter, not merely a symbolic handshake. For markets watching Ukraine risk, that sequencing matters: it implies any diplomatic progress will be slow and conditional rather than a sudden breakthrough. The open question is whether preparatory talks move forward at all, and what they cover — energy, sanctions, or broader security architecture — since each carries different implications for risk assets.