Trump says settlement in Russia-Ukraine war may be near

US President Donald Trump, on June 5, signalled support for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the full-scale war, saying he believes a settlement may be within reach.

Speaking to reporters, Trump was asked whether he wanted Moscow and Kyiv to continue bilateral peace talks before Washington takes on a more direct role in negotiations.

"Well, I don't mind. I mean ... let them deal," Trump said. "I'm the one that got him to this position."

He added that progress toward a resolution appeared imminent. "I think that's going to get worked out," Trump said. "We're getting close."

Asked who would represent the United States in potential future negotiations, Trump indicated that multiple senior officials from his administration would be involved. "We'll all be involved," he said, referring to members of his team, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Trump’s remarks came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in direct talks aimed at ending the conflict.

In an open letter published on June 4, Zelenskyy proposed a face-to-face meeting to discuss bringing an end to more than four years of full-scale war. The appeal marked his first direct public outreach to Putin since 2022.

Putin rejected the proposal during remarks at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, saying he "sees no point in meeting with Zelenskyy."

By Tamilla Hasanova