The Kremlin has minimized talk of a quick summit between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. Donald Trump, however, called for the leaders to meet and work toward ending the war in Ukraine.
His push followed a meeting with Putin in Alaska last week. On Monday, Trump hosted Zelensky and seven European leaders at the White House.
Trump admitted the conflict is difficult to resolve. He warned that Putin might not be interested in peace. “We’re going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks,” he said on Tuesday. “It’s possible that he doesn’t want to make a deal.”
Trump suggests limited involvement
Trump said Putin would face a “rough situation” if he resisted talks but offered no details. Later, he suggested Zelensky and Putin could meet without him. He shared this in a late-night interview with conservative host Mark Levin.
He added he would join if necessary but preferred to see how things develop.
Putin told Trump on Monday he was “open” to direct talks. The next day, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov softened the statement, saying talks must start at expert level and proceed step by step.
Russia’s deputy UN envoy Dmitry Polyanskiy confirmed that talks had not been rejected but warned against a meeting “for the sake of a meeting.”
Nato reviews military options
Nato chiefs plan a virtual meeting on Wednesday. Britain’s Admiral Tony Radakin is in Washington discussing a reassurance force in Ukraine.
Reports said Putin suggested Zelensky could visit Moscow for talks. Kyiv was unlikely to accept the idea, seeing it as unrealistic and symbolic.
Trump appears to better understand the conflict’s complexity and the gap between Moscow’s demands and Kyiv’s stance.
His earlier promise of a quick ceasefire has not materialized. He now favors a permanent peace deal with strong security guarantees for Ukraine.
Zelensky and European leaders urged him to support such guarantees, arguing they are essential for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
US support remains unclear
On Tuesday, Trump said the US could provide air support if Europe deployed ground troops in Ukraine. He ruled out sending American soldiers and did not specify whether air support would include fighter jets, drones, or intelligence.
France and the UK lead a “coalition of the willing” planning a reassurance force to deploy if hostilities end.
After a virtual meeting on Tuesday, Downing Street said the coalition would meet US officials soon to finalize robust security guarantees for Ukraine.
Historic tensions shadow peace efforts
Following his meetings with Putin and Zelensky, Trump said direct talks could move peace forward but acknowledged “tremendous bad blood” between the two leaders.
They last met in 2019. Since then, Russia’s invasion has caused tens of thousands of deaths, widespread destruction, and continued airstrikes on civilians.
Putin refuses to recognize Zelensky’s legitimacy and blames him for Ukraine’s Western ties. He repeats false claims of a “neo-Nazi regime” and insists any ceasefire must involve leadership change.
Moscow also has little interest in talks while it holds the upper hand on the battlefield.
Still, Zelensky and European leaders continue to support a summit. Zelensky said he was open to “any format” of talks. Europeans have proposed potential venues.
They hope endorsing dialogue might push Trump to take a tougher stance if Putin refuses compromise.
Europe remains skeptical
European leaders remain cautious about Russia’s intentions. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron called Putin “a predator, and an ogre at our doorstep,” voicing serious doubt about Moscow’s willingness to pursue peace.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Putin was “rarely to be trusted” and doubted a meeting with Zelensky would happen.
Further high-level talks are expected in the coming days. Questions remain over how firmly Trump will support Europe on Ukraine’s security.
