Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a face-to-face meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin, aiming to bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. This declaration comes amid reports of a potential meeting between the U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin next week.
According to Russian news agency RIA, preparations for the Trump-Putin meeting are already underway, possibly occurring in the coming days. This move is seen as a significant step towards resolving the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Zelensky's Appeal and Trump's Efforts
Zelensky stated on Thursday that direct dialogue with Putin is necessary to end the war. He expressed his readiness to engage in such talks. Separately, reports from The New York Times and Reuters suggest that Trump plans to meet Putin next week, with the potential for a trilateral meeting involving Zelensky, an initiative positively noted by Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social, following his envoy Steve Witkoff's meeting with Putin in Moscow.
Preparations for the Putin-Trump Meeting
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that all necessary agreements for the Putin-Trump meeting are in place, aiming for next week, with location details to be announced later. Meanwhile, some American media (CNN) reported organizational challenges that might delay the meeting beyond next week. Nonetheless, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Russia has expressed a desire to meet with Trump, and preparations for meetings with both Putin and Zelensky are underway.
