The White House has indicated that President Donald Trump is open to holding talks with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, amid ongoing efforts to address the conflict in Eastern Europe.
According to a report by The New York Times, which cited unnamed sources, preliminary discussions suggest the meeting could happen as early as next week.
The potential engagement reportedly stemmed from a recent call involving Trump and Zelensky, which also included NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, along with the leaders of the United Kingdom, Germany, and Finland, according to a senior Ukrainian official.
Earlier in the day, Washington’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, held talks with President Putin in Moscow—adding diplomatic weight to the possibility of a high-level summit in the near future.
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“The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the president is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to meet first with Russian President Vladimir Putin, followed by a potential trilateral session involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to The New York Times. The proposed diplomatic sequence is seen as part of a broader push by the White House to bring momentum to stalled peace efforts.
However, officials from NATO and Ukraine have yet to verify the report, declining to comment when approached by AFP.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump described the recent talks between his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin in Moscow as a breakthrough, characterising the discussions as notably productive. Despite this optimism, U.S. officials have made clear that existing sanctions on Russia’s trading partners remain in effect.
Trump—who has previously claimed he could resolve the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of assuming office—has reportedly set a Friday deadline for Moscow to demonstrate meaningful steps toward peace or risk facing additional punitive measures.