U.S. President Donald Trump announced that preparations have begun for a direct meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, following discussions with European leaders in Washington.
Trump described his talks with European officials at the White House and Oval Office as “very good,” emphasizing that the focus was on security guarantees for Ukraine, coordinated between the United States and European countries.
“Everyone is very pleased about the possibility of peace between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added that after concluding the meetings, he held a phone call with President Putin, during which they began laying the groundwork for a meeting with Zelensky at an as-yet undisclosed location.
According to Trump, a trilateral meeting is also planned, bringing together himself, Zelensky, and Putin, with coordination efforts being led by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
“This was a very good and early step for a war that has been going on for nearly four years,” Trump stressed.
The Kremlin confirmed the 40-minute phone call between Trump and Putin, which took place during Zelensky’s visit to Washington. Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s aide, described the conversation as “open” and “constructive,” noting that the two leaders also discussed the possibility of elevating the level of negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.
