Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine appear poised for a peace summit following brisk negotiations on Monday involving Donald Trump and key European leaders. These talks concentrated on long-term security guarantees for Kyiv.
Prospects for a breakthrough improved after Trump revealed he had a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Putin, whom he met in Alaska last week after a positive meeting with European and Ukrainian leaders at the White House.
This would mark the first encounter between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders since Moscow’s aggressive invasion over three years ago, aligning with Trump’s pledge to swiftly end the conflict.
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Trump, 79, shared on his Truth Social platform that “everyone is very optimistic about the potential for PEACE between Russia and Ukraine.”
“Following the discussions, I contacted President Putin to initiate arrangements for a meeting at a yet-to-be-decided location between President Putin and President Zelensky,” Trump stated.
Trump also mentioned his plans to host a trilateral summit with the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Putin consented to a bilateral meeting within the next two weeks, although no specific date or location has been confirmed.
Zelensky ‘ready’ to meet Putin
Zelensky informed reporters outside the White House that he is “prepared” for a bilateral meeting with his adversary Putin, whose Ukraine invasion has resulted in numerous fatalities.
In Moscow, a Kremlin official noted that Putin is open to the “concept” of direct talks with Ukraine.
The conflict in Ukraine has reached a near stalemate, despite some recent Russian advances. However, Trump’s summit with Putin last Friday did not yield a ceasefire.
Zelensky promptly visited the White House to meet with Trump as the US president increasingly urged the Ukrainian leader to make concessions to Russia.
Leaders from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the European Commission, and NATO have also announced their attendance, signaling strong support.
Zelensky also had a private meeting in the Oval Office with Trump, marking their first encounter since a heated exchange in February.
The Ukrainian president described the meeting as their “best” yet, with minimal tension compared to when Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized him for not expressing “gratitude” for US support.
Trump even praised Zelensky’s black jacket, after criticism from right-wing media for not wearing a suit during his February visit.
‘Security guarantees’
The US president indicated discussions on security guarantees for Ukraine, noting Putin’s agreement despite ruling out Ukraine’s NATO membership ambitions.
Trump stated that the guarantees “would be provided by various European countries, coordinated with the United States.”
NATO chief Mark Rutte described the meeting at the White House as “very successful,” with “the president effectively breaking the deadlock.”
“Today’s focus was on security guarantees, increased US involvement, and details to be finalized in the coming days,” he explained.
The Financial Times, citing a document, reported Ukraine’s commitment to purchase $100 billion in US weapons funded by Europe in exchange for US security guarantees.
Zelensky later discussed a $90 billion package with reporters, mentioning that Ukraine and its allies aim to finalize the security guarantees within 10 days.
The presence of European leaders highlighted ongoing concerns that Trump might align with Putin once again.
Prior to the meeting, Trump urged Ukraine to relinquish Crimea and abandon NATO membership aspirations—key demands from Putin.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for heightened sanctions against Russia if Putin does not advance peace with Ukraine.
Finnish President Alex Stubb remarked that Putin “cannot be trusted.”
Germany’s Merz stated Ukraine should not be pressured to cede the Donbas region to Russia in negotiations.
“The Russian demand for Kyiv to surrender the free parts of Donbas is comparable to asking the US to give up Florida,” Merz told reporters.
