Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump is attempting to broker a direct meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a move that would bring the two leaders face-to-face for the first time since 2019. The potential meeting is being hailed by the Trump administration as the “next phase” in its efforts to end Europe’s most destructive war in generations.
The only prior meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy took place in Paris in December 2019, at the “Normandy Format Summit.” The meeting, which also included the leaders of France and Germany, was aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to the ongoing conflict in the Donbas region of Ukraine. While it resulted in some agreements, such as a prisoner exchange, it failed to produce a lasting ceasefire or a long-term political solution. The two leaders had a chilly interaction, reportedly avoiding a public handshake and largely avoiding eye contact.
For Putin, a direct negotiation with Zelenskyy would be a significant shift from his carefully crafted narrative that has been used to justify the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Putin has repeatedly framed the conflict as a proxy war with the West, portraying Zelenskyy and his government as mere puppets. Engaging in direct talks would implicitly legitimize Zelenskyy as a negotiating partner, a role Putin has long refused to grant him.
Trump’s effort to facilitate the meeting comes after a high-stakes summit with Putin in Alaska, and a subsequent meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Putin has agreed to a bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy, and a trilateral meeting with Trump is also a possibility. While no date or location has been confirmed yet, the proposal has been met with a mix of cautious optimism and skepticism from European leaders.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has stated that he is ready for a direct meeting with Putin, calling it the “only way to solve these complicated and painful issues.” However, he and European leaders have stressed that any such meeting must be well-prepared and, ideally, be preceded by a ceasefire. The Russian side has also signaled its openness to direct talks but has maintained its position on key issues, including its categorical rejection of any NATO military presence in Ukraine.