US President Donald Trump said Monday that preparations are underway for a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, following a White House summit with Zelensky and several European leaders.
Speaking alongside Zelensky in the Oval Office, Trump described the discussions as “very good” and confirmed that he phoned Putin immediately after the talks to begin arranging a direct meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
“We discussed security guarantees for Ukraine with European partners, in coordination with the United States,” Trump said. “At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky.”
Trump added that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will work to finalize the logistics.
Pressure on Kyiv
The talks come as Trump faces growing scrutiny for his recent Alaska meeting with Putin, where the US president signaled a willingness to push Ukraine toward concessions. Trump has suggested Kyiv should abandon efforts to reclaim Crimea and give up NATO membership ambitions.
Zelensky, however, told reporters: “We need to stop this war, to stop Russia, and we need support from American and European partners.”
European leaders — including those from Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Finland, the EU, and NATO — joined the Washington meeting to push for stronger post-war security guarantees for Ukraine.
Putin’s Proposals Rejected
Putin’s reported demands from the Alaska talks included Ukraine ceding additional territory in Donetsk — a proposal Zelensky has dismissed. He has instead called for an immediate ceasefire to enable deeper peace negotiations, a stance backed by European allies.
Despite optimism from Trump that Putin may soon release more than 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners, Ukrainian officials remain skeptical, citing ongoing Russian attacks that killed at least 10 civilians overnight in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.
Next Steps
The White House confirmed Trump will meet European leaders again in the East Room later on Monday to continue discussions. The president has insisted that a peace deal is achievable and that both sides must compromise.
“I think President Putin really would like to do something also,” Trump said, expressing hope for “positive moves” once a trilateral meeting is finalized.
The war, now in its fourth year since Russia’s 2022 invasion, has left more than a million people dead or wounded, with Russian forces continuing gradual advances in eastern Ukraine.
