A Breakthrough Moment: Putin Agrees to Bilateral Talks with Zelensky, U.S. Trilateral Option on the Table
In a potentially historic shift toward peace, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled his willingness to meet bilaterally with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—an important development in efforts to de-escalate the year-long conflict. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the news during Tuesday’s briefing, adding that a trilateral meeting involving former President Donald Trump is also being considered “if necessary.”
President Trump proposes Putin-Zelenskyy meeting
Leavitt revealed that President Trump reached out to Putin by phone, leading to this diplomatic breakthrough. The proposed high-level dialogue is viewed as the next phase in peace talks, possibly paving the way for a broader summit including Trump, if expedient.
Key U.S. officials—Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff—are actively coordinating with both Russia and Ukraine to arrange the meeting as quickly as possible. “I can assure you that the United States government … is working with both Russia and Ukraine to make that bilateral happen as we speak,” Leavitt emphasized.
European Leaders in agreement with Trump’s Call
The momentum comes just a day after Zelenskyy met with European leaders at the White House, following Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska. European heads of state—including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen—praised Trump’s diplomatic push. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte credited the U.S. leadership with breaking the long-standing deadlock.
- Finnish President Alexander Stubb hailed the past two weeks as the most significant progress toward peace in the war’s three-and-a-half-year history.
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the breakthrough unprecedented, saying no one had managed to reach this point before.
Russia’s Foreign Minister highlights key points in place of Putin
Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed the Kremlin’s openness to both bi- and trilateral summits, though he stressed that such discussions must be meticulously planned. Locations under consideration include Geneva, Budapest, and even Moscow, according to diplomatic sources.
However, geopolitical analysts and European capitals remain cautious. Despite the thaw in relations, concrete agreements—such as a ceasefire or territorial concessions—have not yet materialized. France’s Macron and Germany’s Merz have broadly supported the process—but emphasized that any peace must safeguard Ukraine’s sovereignty and not be achieved at its expense.
