- Trump says meeting with Putin could happen “very soon”
- U.S. envoy Witkoff holds "productive" talks with Russian officials in Moscow
- Ceasefire proposal reportedly brought back for review by Ukraine and EU allies
Following weeks of escalating tensions over Russia’s ongoing offensive in Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he could meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “very soon.” This follows what Trump described as “great progress” during a meeting earlier that day between his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Russian officials in Moscow.
Trump’s remarks came after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which reportedly also included NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the leaders of Britain, Germany, and Finland.
“There’s a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon,” Trump told reporters at the White House, though he did not specify a date or location. If confirmed, the summit would mark the first U.S.-Russia leadership meeting since President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in June 2021.
According to The New York Times and CNN, Trump may sit down with Putin as early as next week, potentially followed by a trilateral meeting that includes Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Trump’s call with Zelensky followed a Kremlin-confirmed “productive” meeting between envoy Witkoff and Russian officials, as the deadline nears for the U.S. to implement new sanctions targeting Russia’s war efforts.
“Great progress was made!” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Everyone agrees this war must come to a close, and we will work toward that in the coming days and weeks.”
Despite the optimism, a senior U.S. official later clarified that secondary sanctions are still expected to go into effect within 48 hours. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Witkoff returned with a ceasefire proposal from Moscow, but warned that the process ahead would be complex. “There’s still a lot of work to do — it could take weeks,” he noted.
Trump, who has repeatedly claimed he could end the war within 24 hours of taking office, has given Moscow until Friday to show signs of moving toward peace or face further penalties.
Three earlier rounds of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul have failed to deliver any ceasefire agreement, with both sides standing firm on opposing demands. Meanwhile, Russia has intensified its drone and missile attacks across Ukraine, pushing its ground offensive to record levels.
Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, described Witkoff’s three-hour meeting as “useful and constructive,” stating that the two sides exchanged key “signals,” though no details were revealed.
Zelensky confirmed his call with Trump and acknowledged the participation of several European leaders, although he did not identify them by name.
Sanctions and Diplomatic Tensions
President Trump has grown increasingly critical of Russia’s continued aggression and warned of sweeping “secondary sanctions” targeting Russian trade partners — including possible actions against China. Earlier on Wednesday, he imposed higher tariffs on Indian imports, citing New Delhi’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil.
While not naming Trump directly, the Kremlin condemned such “threats” against Russia’s trading partners as “illegitimate.”
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, widespread destruction, and millions of displaced civilians. Moscow has demanded that Kyiv relinquish more territory and cut ties with Western allies in exchange for peace — conditions Ukraine has firmly rejected.
Zelensky continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and recently urged allies to push for “regime change” in Moscow.
Rising Nuclear Tensions
The Witkoff mission came amid rising nuclear rhetoric between Washington and Moscow. Trump revealed that he had ordered the deployment of two U.S. nuclear submarines to the region following an online confrontation with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
In response, Moscow announced it would end its moratorium on deploying nuclear-capable intermediate-range missiles, citing alleged U.S. deployments near Russian borders.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian emergency officials reported that a Russian shelling attack on a holiday camp in the southern Zaporizhzhia region killed two people and injured 12 others.
