Trump seeks personal diplomacy to end Ukraine war with Putin, Zelenskyy

US President Donald Trump intends to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week, followed by a trilateral summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump disclosed his intention during a call with European leaders on August 6, which included Zelensky, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The proposed meetings would involve only the three leaders, excluding European counterparts. When asked whether Russia and Ukraine had agreed to the summit, Trump told reporters, “There’s a very good prospect that they will.”

Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, did not respond to requests for comment. However, Zelenskyy signaled cautious optimism: “It seems that Russia is now more committed to a cease-fire. The pressure on them is working,” he said in his evening address. “But the main thing is that they do not deceive us or the United States in the details.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Moscow initiated the meeting. “The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the president is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” she said. “President Trump wants this brutal war to end.”

The call included high-profile leaders such as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Vice President JD Vance. European reactions to Trump’s plan ranged from surprise to cautious acceptance.

Trump wrote on his social media platform that “Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come,” though he did not mention the planned summits directly.

If held, the Putin meeting would mark the first US-Russia presidential summit since 2021. Trump believes his personal diplomacy is key, despite past setbacks such as his failed denuclearization talks with Kim Jong-un.

By Vafa Guliyeva