The White House confirmed on Wednesday that Russia has suggested for a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump. Trump is open to the idea, officials said. This announcement came after AP News reported that a bilateral meeting between the two leaders could happen as early as next week, quoting a White House official. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the president is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky.”

Zelenskyy, Trump, and NATO leaders hold call

According to AFP, which cited a senior Ukrainian source, Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed this possibility in a recent phone call. That conversation also included NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, along with the leaders of Britain, Germany, and Finland. This high-level call followed a meeting in Moscow earlier that day between US envoy Steven Witkoff and President Putin.

Trump cautious, yet hopeful

At an Oval Office event, reporters asked Trump directly about possible meetings with Putin and Zelenskyy. He replied carefully,
“Well, look, I don’t want to say, I’ve been disappointed before with this one.” Even so, he showed hope about future developments. “Well, there’s a, a very good prospect that they will,” Trump said, referring to a potential Putin-Zelenskyy summit.

He added, “We haven’t determined where, but we had some very good talks with President Putin today. And there’s a very good chance that we could be ending the, ending the round, ending the end of that road. That road was long and continues to be long. But there’s a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon.”

Diplomatic efforts intensify

The recent activity marks a possible shift in diplomatic efforts to address the ongoing conflict involving Russia and Ukraine. With the US playing a central role, and both Putin and Zelenskyy mentioned as potential participants in talks with Trump, hopes for a breakthrough appear to be rising. Yet, Trump’s cautious remarks show that the process remains delicate, with no confirmed time or location for any meeting yet.