Trump says Putin-Zelensky meeting will happen very soon, with no date or venue set

Trump's announcement

US President Donald Trump told reporters that a meeting involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be arranged very soon, adding that significant progress could come from it. He gave neither a date nor a venue, and his remarks left open whether he meant a three-way summit or separate talks first. Trump's comments came as his administration stepped up diplomatic work on the war, which Bloomberg describes as now in its fifth year. Bloomberg quoted him in English as saying:

“I think with Russia, we're making a lot of progress with Russia-Ukraine”

Trilateral talks planned for November

Zelensky said on 25 October that a three-way meeting between Kyiv, Washington and Moscow would take place in November, aiming to restart peace talks that have stalled since the start of the year. He wanted that format to also discuss a new meeting at leaders' level. Russia had earlier said such a meeting was planned for November in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Berliner Zeitung, citing Reuters, reports that the three sides agreed on talks between their negotiating teams in the first half of November, with Abu Dhabi and Switzerland named as possible venues. Direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations in 2025 did not produce a settlement, and both sides still insist on their conditions.

Kremlin position and sanctions

The Kremlin has not confirmed a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, and Blick reports that it is aiming for a meeting in November without public details. Le Soir notes that the Kremlin has so far ruled out any encounter between the two leaders outside Moscow. Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy adviser, told the Associated Press that the security order after a possible end to the war should be discussed first, and Moscow has floated a date after 10 November. Russia rejects a pause in fighting before a substantive agreement, arguing that a truce would give Kyiv time to rearm. Zelensky warned partners against lifting sanctions on Russia before trilateral talks with the leaders of Ukraine, the US and Russia. He said he had told the American delegation that loyalty to Russia should not be bought at that price, and that he did not want to sit down with Putin without sanctions, money or frozen assets as leverage.

Groundwork and calendar

Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, met Zelensky and European government representatives in Oslo on about 20 October, discussing security guarantees for Ukraine, possible ceasefire arrangements and conditions for a peace settlement. On 21 October he met Putin in St Petersburg for about three hours. Afterwards Russia said it was generally ready to resume talks with Ukraine and the United States. Zelensky said on 21 October that these negotiations should also prepare a personal meeting of the heads of state. The announcement comes six days before the US midterm elections on 3 November, which will decide which party controls Congress.