Donald Trump said Wednesday a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin could take place “very soon,” fuelling speculation of an imminent summit. The announcement came after US envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian officials in Moscow, where talks were described by the Kremlin as “productive.”
Trump revealed he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a call that included NATO’s Mark Rutte and European leaders. He gave no details on where a potential meeting with Putin might happen but suggested discussions could begin as early as next week.
Reports from The New York Times and CNN indicate Trump hopes for a three-way summit involving Putin and Zelensky. On Truth Social, Trump claimed “great progress” had been made, vowing to pursue peace efforts in the coming days and weeks.
Still, a senior US official said secondary sanctions would likely proceed within 48 hours, maintaining pressure on Moscow. Trump has threatened severe penalties if Russia fails to move toward peace by Friday, warning of new sanctions targeting trade partners.
Earlier, he imposed higher tariffs on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian oil. Despite the diplomatic flurry, Moscow continues to escalate military action, with drone and missile attacks reaching new highs.
Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, described the three-hour meeting with Witkoff as “useful and constructive,” though details remain scarce. Zelensky confirmed the call with Trump but did not name the participating European leaders.
Meanwhile, Russia’s demand for Ukrainian territorial concessions remains firm, as Kyiv continues calling for an immediate ceasefire. Amid nuclear tensions, Trump revealed he had deployed two nuclear submarines following an online spat with ex-president Dmitry Medvedev.
Russia responded by lifting its moratorium on intermediate-range missiles, citing alleged US deployments near its borders.In southern Ukraine, Russian shelling killed two and injured 12 at a holiday camp in Zaporizhzhia, officials said Wednesday.
