Even as the president has repeatedly groused about Putin’s “bullshit” and double talk, the administration believes Putin has given signs that demonstrate this time is different.

White House officials are describing the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting as a first step toward peace, with Trump aiming to “feel out” Putin’s intentions amid signs of possible movement from Moscow

A diplomatic scramble unfolded Saturday after President Donald Trump announced he would meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, next week in Alaska, as European leaders rushed to understand the terms of the meeting and ensure Ukraine was not being left out of discussions about its future.