WASHINGTON — Former U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed that a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin could happen “very soon,” following what he described as highly productive backchannel talks in Moscow.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump confirmed that plans for the potential summit were discussed during a high-level phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The call, according to a senior Kyiv source, also included NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and leaders from the U.K., Germany, and Finland.
“There’s a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon,” Trump said, though he declined to disclose a venue.
According to reports from The New York Times and CNN, Trump could meet with Putin as early as next week, and is aiming to follow up with a three-way summit that includes Zelensky — a move that could mark a pivotal moment in efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Zelensky acknowledged the call and confirmed European participation, while warning that any peace offer must be approached with caution. “Russia may be more inclined to agree to a ceasefire, but the main thing is that they do not deceive us or the United States in the details,” he said.
The renewed diplomatic activity follows a three-hour meeting in Moscow between Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and top Russian officials. The Kremlin described the talks as “productive,” with Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov calling the exchange “useful and constructive.”
Trump took to his Truth Social platform shortly after the talks, writing: “Great progress was made! Everyone agrees this war must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come.”
Despite the optimism, a senior U.S. official said additional “secondary sanctions” targeting Russia’s trade partners — including possibly China — are still expected within 48 hours if no concrete steps toward peace are taken.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Witkoff returned with a ceasefire proposal from Moscow, but cautioned that much work remains. “It could be weeks, maybe,” he said regarding the timeline for a Trump-Putin meeting.
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office, has now given Russia until Friday to show real progress or face a fresh round of penalties. Already, Trump has slapped steeper tariffs on Indian imports over New Delhi’s continued oil trade with Moscow.
The Kremlin, without directly naming Trump, labeled the tariff threats against Russia’s allies as “illegitimate.”
Meanwhile, the battlefield remains active. Russia has intensified missile and drone strikes and accelerated its territorial push in eastern Ukraine, even as diplomatic talks continue to stall.
Adding to the growing tensions, Trump revealed he had ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines into the region following a heated online exchange with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. In response, Moscow announced it would lift its moratorium on deploying nuclear-capable intermediate-range missiles — stoking fears of a renewed arms race.
As Trump presses ahead with his high-stakes diplomatic gamble, all eyes are now on whether his personal overture to Putin will help forge a path to peace — or escalate tensions further.
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