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Trump says 'good prospect' of summit with Putin and Zelensky after envoy's Russia visit Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to meet in coming days, Kremlin aide says
(about 2 hours later)
Watch: Trump says there is a "good prospect" of summit with Putin and Zelensky "very soon"Watch: Trump says there is a "good prospect" of summit with Putin and Zelensky "very soon"
US President Donald Trump has said there is a "good chance" he could meet the Russian and Ukrainian leaders "very soon" for talks in person about ending the war in Ukraine. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to meet in the "coming days", a Kremlin aide has said.
Speaking at the White House last night, Trump said the talks in Moscow between his envoy and Russian President Vladimir Putin that day had been "highly productive". It follows Trump saying there was a "good chance" he could meet the Russian and Ukrainian leaders in person "very soon" to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
Asked whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin had agreed to such a summit, Trump said there was a "very good prospect", but did not give further details. When asked at a White House briefing on Wednesday night whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin had agreed to a three-way summit, Trump said there was a "very good prospect", but did not elaborate.
The New York Times reports that Trump intends to meet Putin in person as soon as next week, which would be followed by a three-way meeting between the leaders. A deadline Trump has set for Russia to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine or face more sweeping sanctions is due to expire on Friday.
Trump was also asked whether the Russian leader had offered anything in return for the meeting this time, but Trump offered no specifics, saying only that "we've had very productive talks today". Trump's comments on Wednesday came after talks in Moscow between his envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which the US president described as "highly productive".
The Kremlin earlier issued a vague statement about the talks between Putin and Steve Witkoff, with a foreign policy aide saying the two sides had exchanged "signals" as part of "constructive" talks in Moscow. The Kremlin released a vague statement on Wednesday about Witkoff's visit to Moscow, calling the discussions "constructive" and noting that both sides had exchanged "signals."
The meeting came days before Trump's deadline on Friday for Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, or face new sanctions. Witkoff has travelled to the Russian capital four times this year. After each trip, Trump expressed optimism that a ceasefire was near.
Trump's comments in the Oval Office on Wednesday come after he posted on his Truth Social platform that he had briefed some of America's European allies following the talks. Yet last month, he admitted to the BBC that on all four occasions, Putin had disappointed him.
"Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come," Trump said. But the US President is now striking a more cautious tone, telling reporters on Wednesday: "I don't call it a breakthrough...we have been working at this for a long time. There are thousands of young people dying... I'm here to get the thing over with."
The White House also told the BBC that Russia had expressed a desire to meet the US president and that he was "open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky". The New York Times had earlier reported that Trump had hoped to meet Putin in person as soon as next week, with a potential three-way meeting with Zelensky to follow.
Zelensky meanwhile said he had spoken to Trump about Witkoff's visit, with European leaders also on the call.Zelensky meanwhile said he had spoken to Trump about Witkoff's visit, with European leaders also on the call.
Zelensky has been warning that Russia would only make serious moves towards peace if it began to run out of money.Zelensky has been warning that Russia would only make serious moves towards peace if it began to run out of money.
Trump has said Russia could face hefty sanctions or see secondary sanctions imposed against all those who trade with it if it doesn't take steps to end the war. On Thursday the Ukrainian leader indicated his support for a meeting between the three leaders.
Wednesday's discussions between Putin and Witkoff appeared cordial despite Trump's mounting irritation with the lack of progress in negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. "We in Ukraine have repeatedly said that finding real solutions can be truly effective at the level of leaders," he wrote on X. He added that it's "necessary to determine the timing and the range of issues to be addressed."
Images shared by Russian outlets showed Putin and Witkoff - who have met several times previously - smiling and shaking hands in a gilded hall at the KremlinImages shared by Russian outlets showed Putin and Witkoff - who have met several times previously - smiling and shaking hands in a gilded hall at the Kremlin
Shortly after Witkoff's departure from Moscow, the White House said Trump had signed an executive order imposing an additional 25% tariff on India for buying Russian oil. The tariff would come into force on 27 August.
The US president has accused India of not caring "how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian war machine".
Expectations are muted for a settlement by Friday and Russia has continued its large-scale air attacks on Ukraine despite Trump's threats of sanctions.Expectations are muted for a settlement by Friday and Russia has continued its large-scale air attacks on Ukraine despite Trump's threats of sanctions.
As pressure builds, Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on Indian imports over its continued purchase of Russian oil.
Before taking office in January, Trump said he would be able to end the war between Russia and Ukraine in a day. The conflict has raged on and his rhetoric towards Moscow has since hardened.Before taking office in January, Trump said he would be able to end the war between Russia and Ukraine in a day. The conflict has raged on and his rhetoric towards Moscow has since hardened.
"We thought we had [the war] settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever," he said last month.
Three rounds of talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul have failed to bring the war closer to an end, three-and-a-half years after Moscow launched its full-invasion.Three rounds of talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul have failed to bring the war closer to an end, three-and-a-half years after Moscow launched its full-invasion.
Moscow's military and political preconditions for peace remain unacceptable to Kyiv and to its Western partners. The Kremlin has also repeatedly turned down Kyiv's requests for a meeting between Zelensky and Putin.Moscow's military and political preconditions for peace remain unacceptable to Kyiv and to its Western partners. The Kremlin has also repeatedly turned down Kyiv's requests for a meeting between Zelensky and Putin.
Meanwhile, the US administration approved $200m (£150m) of additional military sales to Ukraine on Tuesday following a phone call between Zelensky and Trump, in which the two leaders also discussed defence co-operation and drone production. Meanwhile, the US approved $200m (£150m) in additional military aid to Ukraine on Tuesday, including support for drone production.
Ukraine has been using drones to hit Russia's refineries and energy facilities, while Moscow has focused its air attacks on Ukraine's cities.
The Kyiv City Military Administration said the toll of an attack on the city last week rose to 32 after a man died of his injuries. The strike was one of the deadliest on Kyiv since the start of the invasion.
Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday reported that a Russian attack on a holiday camp in the central region of Zaporizhzhia left two dead and 12 wounded.
"There's no military sense in this attack. It's just cruelty to scare people," Zelensky said.