WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Monday that he intends to set up a direct meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of his accelerated effort to end the ongoing war between the two nations. Trump said the bilateral meeting would be followed by a trilateral session in which he himself would participate.
The president revealed his plan on Truth Social after a day of high-level discussions at the White House with Zelenskyy and a group of European leaders determined to ensure Ukraine’s long-term security against Russian aggression.
Following the talks, Trump said he personally called Putin from the Oval Office for a 40-minute conversation to discuss next steps. “Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine,” Trump wrote.
The announcement comes amid Trump’s rapid-fire diplomatic campaign to bring an end to the conflict, which began more than three years ago with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On Friday, Trump flew to Alaska for a face-to-face meeting with Putin, and by Monday had already convened Zelenskyy and European allies at the White House to press ahead with negotiations.
The gathering was a striking display of wartime diplomacy, drawing comparisons to historic World War II–era meetings. Under one roof, Trump hosted leaders seeking to resolve a war pitting a vulnerable European democracy against a powerful authoritarian state intent on territorial expansion.
Trump met privately with Zelenskyy for about an hour before the two joined European leaders for broader discussions. He has repeatedly warned that without progress, the war risks escalating into a wider global conflict.
In a symbolic shift, Zelenskyy set aside his trademark wartime fatigues and appeared in a formal dark jacket. “The best I had,” he quipped to Trump.
“I love it!” the president responded with a smile, greeting him with a warm handshake — a sharp contrast to the tense Oval Office encounter the two leaders held earlier this year.
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