The White House declared on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within the next two weeks. The announcement marks the most significant American effort yet to broker a direct dialogue between the two leaders to end the war.
The commitment was reportedly made during a phone call between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, which followed Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy and European officials. “He has,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded when asked if Putin had agreed to the two-week timeframe. She added that the administration is working around the clock with both countries to facilitate the bilateral meeting.
However, Russia’s official stance appears less definitive. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commented that Moscow is not against talks but insisted that any meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy must be thoroughly prepared, a standard diplomatic phrase that often signals a longer timeline. This discrepancy creates uncertainty about when, or if, the summit will actually take place.
President Trump has publicly weighed in, saying he hopes Putin will “move forward” on ending the war but also cautioning that the Russian leader may not want a deal. On the Ukrainian side, President Zelenskyy is ready for the encounter, intending to make the future of occupied territories the central point of his discussion with Putin. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s allies have begun to hash out the details of potential security guarantees.