Putin, Zelensky to meet for peace summit following Trump discussions

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appear poised to meet for a peace summit following rapid-fire talks in Washington on Monday between US President Donald Trump and European leaders, centered on long-term security guarantees for Kyiv.

Optimism grew after Trump revealed he had spoken by phone with Putin — whom he had met in Alaska last week — after what he described as a “very good” meeting at the White House with European leaders and Zelensky.

If held, it would mark the first encounter between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders since Moscow’s full-scale invasion began nearly three and a half years ago, with Trump seeking to fulfill his pledge to quickly end the war.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump, 79, wrote: “Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine.” He added that he had called Putin after the meetings and initiated arrangements for a Putin-Zelensky summit at a yet-to-be-determined location, followed by a three-way meeting involving himself.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Putin had agreed to a bilateral meeting within the next two weeks, though no date or venue was confirmed.

Zelensky ‘ready’ to meet Putin
Speaking outside the White House, Zelensky said he was “ready” for direct talks with his adversary. In Moscow, a Kremlin aide confirmed Putin was open to the idea of bilateral discussions.

The war has largely stalled despite recent limited Russian advances, and Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska last week produced no ceasefire. Zelensky traveled to Washington immediately afterward as Trump continued pressing him to consider concessions to Moscow.

European leaders — including those of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the European Commission, and NATO — also joined the Washington talks in a show of support for Kyiv.

In the Oval Office, Zelensky and Trump held their first one-on-one meeting there since their tense exchange in February. This time, Zelensky described the encounter as their “best yet,” with Trump even complimenting his black jacket — a sharp contrast to the criticism Zelensky faced earlier this year for wearing his trademark wartime outfit instead of a suit.

Security guarantees at the core
Trump said discussions centered on providing Ukraine with security guarantees, stressing that Putin had signaled acceptance of such measures even while rejecting Kyiv’s aspiration to join NATO.

“These guarantees would be provided by various European countries, in coordination with the United States,” Trump said.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte hailed the gathering as “very successful,” crediting Trump with “breaking the deadlock.” Zelensky added that allies would formalize security guarantees within 10 days.

Yet concerns linger among Europeans about Trump’s posture toward Moscow. Ahead of the meeting, Trump had urged Ukraine to relinquish Crimea and drop its NATO ambitions — both long-standing Russian demands.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned that sanctions on Moscow should be tightened if Putin fails to pursue peace, while Finnish President Alexander Stubb bluntly said Putin “is not to be trusted.”

Chancellor Merz insisted Ukraine should not be compelled to surrender the Donbass region, comparing the Russian demand to asking the United States to hand over Florida.