A potential breakthrough in the Ukraine war is on the horizon as the United States actively works to set up a face-to-face meeting between President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The White House confirmed on Tuesday that plans are being drafted for the two leaders to hold direct negotiations in the near future.
The diplomatic push gained momentum after President Donald Trump’s call with Putin, during which the Russian leader purportedly agreed to the summit. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that this agreement is part of the “next phase of the peace process.” She asserted that Putin has committed to meeting within two weeks, positioning the Trump administration as a key mediator in the conflict. A follow-up trilateral meeting including Trump is also a possibility “if necessary.”
However, the Kremlin has yet to publicly confirm this commitment. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov maintained that any leadership meeting must be carefully prepared, stopping short of endorsing the two-week timeline. This highlights a potential gap between Washington’s ambitions and Moscow’s readiness. Trump has voiced his hope for a deal while also threatening more sanctions if peace efforts fail.
President Zelenskyy has embraced the opportunity, declaring his readiness to engage Putin directly on the sensitive issue of territory. He indicated that discussions about security guarantees would involve Ukraine’s international partners. On that front, the U.S. has made its position clear: no American ground troops will be deployed, but as Trump suggested, providing air support to Ukraine remains an option under consideration.
