Is Trump About to End the War in Ukraine? Bold Meetings in the Works

U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing for a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week, followed by a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin, according to reports from the New York Times and other outlets. The developments follow a three-hour meeting between Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin at the Kremlin on August 6, which both sides described as productive.

During a phone call with European leaders, Trump reportedly shared his intention to meet with Putin first and then bring both Putin and Zelensky together in a separate format, without representatives from Europe. According to sources cited by the NYT, the European leaders seemed to accept Trump's approach. Trump also spoke with Zelensky on the same day, with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Witkoff participating in the conversation.

Trump has confirmed there is a “good chance” of a direct meeting with Putin taking place soon but remained cautious, stating that he had been “disappointed before.” He did not commit to a clear timeline. Speaking at the White House, Trump said the conflict between Russia and Ukraine had gone on for too long and expressed hope that it could be brought to an end, though he stopped short of claiming progress toward a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that a trilateral meeting could take place if the positions of Ukraine, Russia, and their partners could be brought closer together. He noted that the focus of talks would likely include territorial issues and the possibility of a ceasefire. Rubio emphasized that both parties must be willing to make compromises for the U.S.-led mediation to succeed.

The Kremlin, for its part, said the idea for a meeting between Trump and Putin was initiated by the Russian side. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed this, saying Trump is open to meeting with both Putin and Zelensky and remains committed to ending the war. However, no details were given on the scheduling or structure of a trilateral summit.

The proposed diplomatic initiative comes against the backdrop of Trump’s August 8 deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire. Failure to meet the deadline could result in secondary sanctions targeting nations that continue to trade with Russia, including tariffs of up to 100% on buyers of Russian oil. India has already been affected by a recent 50% tariff hike.

Additionally, Bloomberg reported that the Kremlin is considering a limited “air truce” involving mutual pauses in drone and missile strikes, should Ukraine agree to reciprocate. Still, the outlook for meaningful progress remains uncertain, with past rounds of direct talks in Istanbul yielding only prisoner exchanges and no substantial movement toward a ceasefire.