Trump Could Meet Putin In-Person Next Week Amid Ceasefire Push: Reports
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| Trump has earlier suggested repositioning US nuclear submarines near Russia |
US President Donald Trump is open to meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin for direct talks regarding a possible ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, according to a White House official cited by the Associated Press on Wednesday. The in-person meeting could take place as early as next week and is expected to focus on identifying potential pathways toward ending the conflict.
The development follows a recent meeting between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin, during which they reportedly discussed the White House’s proposed deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine. President Trump has previously warned of imposing penalties and sanctions on Russia should it fail to agree to a ceasefire.
If the meeting goes ahead, it would mark Trump’s first official meeting with Putin since he began his second term as US President. Meanwhile, Trump has already met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on multiple occasions, including a controversial meeting in February this year involving White House officials and the Ukrainian leader.
While the meeting with Putin is not yet confirmed, and the location remains undecided, the White House official emphasised that President Trump is open to sitting down with both Putin and Zelenskyy. The New York Times was the first to report on the possibility of a summit, just hours after Witkoff’s visit to Moscow.
Earlier in the day, Trump described the meeting between Witkoff and Putin as “highly productive,” adding that “great progress was made.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, “The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky. President Trump wants this brutal war to end.”
Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, also described the meeting with Witkoff as a “useful and constructive conversation.” He said the discussions focused on resolving the Ukrainian crisis and improving overall relations between Washington and Moscow.
In recent days, Trump has engaged in a political standoff on social media with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev over the ceasefire timeline. Trump has suggested repositioning US nuclear submarines near Russia and warned of “very severe” tariffs if Moscow fails to reach a deal with Kyiv. Initially setting a 50-day deadline, Trump later shortened it to just 10 days as of July 29.
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