The White House confirmed on Wednesday that Russia has requested a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump, as reports intensify around potential high-level discussions aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.
“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 during a media briefing.
The statement comes after reports suggested that Trump could meet both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as soon as next week in a renewed push to resolve the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv.
Trump, Zelensky, NATO Chiefs Held Call With Global Leaders
According to AFP, citing a senior Ukrainian source, Trump and Zelensky discussed the possibility of the meeting in a call that also included NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte as well as the leaders of Britain, Germany, and Finland.
The discussion reportedly took place following a diplomatic visit by Washington’s envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow, where he held direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Three-Way Summit Reportedly in the Works
Citing unnamed sources, The New York Times reported that Trump intends to meet first with Putin, followed by a three-way summit that would also involve Zelensky. Neither NATO nor Ukrainian officials have formally confirmed the reports.
Trump Hails Envoy’s Talks, Pushes New Sanctions
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump described the meeting between Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin as “highly productive.” However, U.S. officials reiterated that sanctions would be imposed on Russia’s trading partners, including India, by Friday.
Trump Issues Deadline for Peace Progress
Trump, who previously claimed he could end the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of taking office, has now given Russia until Friday to show meaningful progress toward peace or face expanded economic sanctions.
