The Kremlin has dismissed talk of an early summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, even as US President Donald Trump urged the two leaders to meet to discuss ending the war. Trump admitted the conflict would be difficult to resolve and warned that Putin might not actually want a peace deal.
The push for direct talks follows Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska last week and his discussions with seven European leaders and Zelenskyy at the White House on Monday. Speaking on Tuesday, Trump said, “We’re going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks. It’s possible that he doesn’t want to make a deal.” He added that such a situation would put the Russian leader in a “rough” position, though he gave no further details, reports BBC.
In an interview later that night, Trump suggested it might be “better” if Putin and Zelenskyy met without him, though he left open the possibility of joining such a meeting “if necessary.”
Putin had told Trump on Monday that he was “open” to the idea of direct talks with Ukraine. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov quickly played this down, saying any talks would have to be prepared “step by step” and begin at the expert level. Russian deputy UN representative Dmitry Polyanskiy echoed this, telling the BBC that nobody had ruled out talks, but stressed “it shouldn’t be a meeting for the sake of a meeting.”
Meanwhile, NATO’s military chiefs are set to hold a virtual meeting on Wednesday, and the UK’s military chief Admiral Tony Radakin is travelling to Washington for talks on plans to send a reassurance force to Ukraine. Reports also surfaced that Putin had floated the idea of Zelenskyy travelling to Moscow for talks, a proposal Kyiv was unlikely to consider.
Trump’s recent exchanges seem to have given him a clearer picture of the gulf between Russia and Ukraine’s positions. His earlier claim that he could quickly secure a ceasefire has not materialised. Instead, he is now pressing for a permanent peace deal, with discussions focusing on security guarantees for Ukraine. Zelenskyy and European leaders appear to have convinced Trump that such guarantees are essential to Kyiv’s sovereignty.
Trump also said on Tuesday that the US would provide air support if European countries put troops on the ground in Ukraine after a peace deal or ceasefire, though he ruled out sending American soldiers. He did not specify whether that support would include intelligence or combat aircraft.
At the same time, a UK- and France-led coalition has been working on plans to create a reassurance force for Ukraine once hostilities end. A Downing Street spokesperson said after a virtual meeting that the group would soon meet US counterparts to strengthen those security plans.
Following his talks with Putin and Zelenskyy, Trump appeared more hopeful that direct talks between Russia and Ukraine could lead to peace, although he admitted there was “tremendous bad blood” between the two leaders. The last time they met was in 2019, and since then Russia’s war has caused tens of thousands of deaths and widespread destruction.
Putin continues to reject Zelenskyy’s legitimacy and insists any deal would require a change of leadership in Kyiv. Russia also shows little interest in talks while it maintains advantages on the battlefield. Still, Zelenskyy and European leaders say they are open to a summit in “any format” and have suggested potential locations. They hope this will push Trump to adopt a firmer line if Putin proves unwilling to compromise.
Yet European leaders remain doubtful about progress. French President Emmanuel Macron called Putin “a predator, and an ogre at our doorstep” and voiced “the greatest doubt” about his willingness to make peace. Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Putin was “rarely to be trusted,” adding he was sceptical a meeting would happen.
Further high-level meetings are expected in the coming days, as questions remain about how strongly Trump will stand with Europe in pursuing an end to the conflict.