.gif)
Former U.S. President Donald Trump said he is likely to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “very soon,” following what he described as highly productive talks in Moscow between his special envoy and the Kremlin.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said there’s a “good chance” a meeting will happen soon, though he did not specify a date or location. If held, it would mark the first U.S.-Russia leadership summit since President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in June 2021.
The potential summit was reportedly discussed in a high-level call involving Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and the leaders of Britain, Germany, and Finland, according to a senior source in Kyiv.
Multiple U.S. media outlets, including The New York Times and CNN, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Trump may meet Putin as early as next week, possibly followed by a three-way summit involving Zelensky.
“Great progress was made!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, referring to the Moscow talks held by his envoy Steve Witkoff. “Everyone agrees this war must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come.”
The Kremlin described Witkoff’s meeting with Russian officials as “productive.” Putin's aide, Yuri Ushakov, said the two sides exchanged "signals" about their positions, although he did not elaborate.
Ceasefire Push
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Witkoff returned with a ceasefire proposal from Moscow. However, he cautioned that the path ahead remains long, saying, “There’s a lot of work to do... a Trump-Putin meeting could still be weeks away.”
Zelensky also confirmed the joint call with Trump and European leaders, noting shared concerns over escalating Russian attacks and the need for clear conditions to any proposed ceasefire. “It seems that Russia is now more inclined to agree to a ceasefire; the pressure on them is working. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us or the United States in the details,” he said Wednesday evening.
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of returning to office, has set a Friday deadline for Russia to demonstrate progress toward peace or face tougher sanctions.
Sanctions and Rising Tensions
Despite the optimism around ceasefire talks, a senior U.S. official confirmed that “secondary sanctions” targeting Russian trade partners are still expected within two days.
Trump has threatened additional sanctions, including steep tariffs, and on Wednesday announced increased duties on Indian goods over New Delhi’s continued oil trade with Russia. The Kremlin slammed such threats as “illegitimate.”
Tensions have also spiked over nuclear posturing. Trump said he had ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines into the region after a heated online exchange with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. In response, Moscow ended its moratorium on nuclear-capable intermediate-range missiles, citing alleged U.S. deployments near Russia.
War Grinds On
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, tens of thousands have been killed, and millions have been displaced. With talks in Istanbul failing to yield results, Russia has intensified drone and missile strikes and continued its ground offensive.
Moscow insists Ukraine must cede more territory and abandon its Western alliances to stop the war. Meanwhile, Zelensky is calling for an immediate ceasefire and has urged global leaders to support “regime change” in Moscow.
As diplomatic efforts unfold, all eyes remain on the potential Trump-Putin meeting and whether it could lead to a breakthrough or deepen geopolitical rifts.
.jpeg)
.gif)
