U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a high-level trilateral meeting. According to two people familiar with the matter, Trump disclosed his plans during a phone call with European leaders, noting that the meeting should take place exclusively between the three heads of state, without the participation of the European Union.
The European leaders involved appeared to accept this arrangement, one of the sources said. It remains unclear whether Putin and Zelensky have agreed to the plan, as no statements from their governments were available by the evening. However, Zelensky, who was present during the call, later explained that he had a “conversation with President Trump” and that both he and the European leaders believed there should be an “honest end to the war.”
The White House has not confirmed the New York Times report. “President Trump is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt in Washington on Wednesday, adding that the Russian side had expressed interest in meeting with the U.S. president. However, no date or location for such a meeting was provided.
The New York Times reported that the conversation between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky could take place as early as next week. This initiative follows recent diplomatic efforts and a deadline set by the United States: U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow, after which Trump described the discussion as successful and a sign of “great progress.”
Zelensky indicated that there appeared to be increased willingness from Russia to agree to a ceasefire, though he cautioned that Moscow must not deceive Ukraine and the United States “in the details.” The U.S. government had set a Friday deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in the war, which has been ongoing for more than three years, warning that failure to do so could result in new economic sanctions.
