Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump is reportedly planning to meet in person with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin as early as next week, followed by a proposed three-way summit involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to two individuals familiar with the discussions.
The plan was disclosed by Mr. Trump during a call with several European leaders, including Mr. Zelensky, on Wednesday, according to the sources.
The proposed meetings would involve only the three leaders — Trump, Putin, and Zelensky — excluding European counterparts or other diplomatic observers.
Speaking to reporters later that day, Mr. Trump remained optimistic about the possibility of the meetings taking place.
“There’s a very good prospect that they will,” he said, when asked whether Russia and Ukraine had agreed to participate.
While the Kremlin has not officially responded, Ukrainian President Zelensky hinted at cautious openness to the talks in his nightly address:
“It seems that Russia is now more committed to a cease-fire. The pressure on them is working. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us or the United States in the details,” he stated.
A Potential Diplomatic Breakthrough—or a Risky Gamble?
Should the summit go ahead, it would mark the first in-person meeting between a U.S. and Russian president since June 2021, when President Joe Biden met with Putin in Geneva. It would also represent a dramatic shift in Western diplomatic strategy, as most NATO allies have consistently refused direct talks with Putin since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
Notably, such a meeting could hand Mr. Putin a symbolic diplomatic victory, potentially breaking his international isolation. Yet Mr. Trump’s team insists the goal is peace.
“President Trump wants this brutal war to end,” said Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, in a statement. “The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the president is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky.”
Trump’s Style of Personal Diplomacy
Mr. Trump, known for his preference for direct engagement with world leaders, believes his personal negotiating style is uniquely suited to ending the war. This approach, however, has drawn skepticism from some foreign policy experts, who argue that bypassing established diplomatic channels may weaken allied unity or reward aggression.
Nevertheless, Trump appears undeterred. The meeting, if confirmed, would solidify his position as a central figure in the ongoing conflict and give him a platform to reshape global perceptions of the U.S. role in Ukraine’s defense and peace efforts.
Further details, including the proposed location and exact date of the summit, remain undisclosed.
