WASHINGTON

The White House is "tempering expectations" for Friday’s summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, portraying it as an initial step toward ending the war in Ukraine rather than a venue for a cease-fire deal, according to a report Tuesday.

Speaking to Politico, a White House official said Trump's goal is to "simply take the measure of Putin, find out if the Russian leader is serious and work toward a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy."

This is all about “trusting Trump’s instincts,” a White House official told the US news site on the condition of anonymity.

According to the official, Putin "offered a plan," adding: "It may not be a viable plan, but there was something on paper, which shows progress."

Trump and Putin are scheduled to meet in Alaska on Friday for talks related to ending the war in Ukraine.

Neither Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy nor EU representatives have been invited to the summit.