The Kremlin has minimized expectations for a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. Donald Trump has called for the two leaders to meet and seek an end to the war in Ukraine.
Trump made the call after meeting Putin in Alaska last week and hosting Zelensky with seven European leaders at the White House on Monday.
He acknowledged the conflict is difficult to resolve and warned Putin might not want peace. “We’re going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks,” he said on Tuesday. “It’s possible that he doesn’t want to make a deal.”
Trump signals limited involvement
Trump said Putin would face a “rough situation” if he resisted negotiations but offered no further details. Later, he suggested Zelensky and Putin could meet without him, speaking during a late-night interview with conservative radio host Mark Levin.
He added he would attend if necessary but preferred to see how talks develop.
Putin told Trump he was “open” to direct talks, but the next day Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov tempered that statement, saying discussions must start at the expert level and progress gradually.
Russia’s deputy UN envoy Dmitry Polyanskiy emphasized that talks were not rejected but cautioned against meetings “for the sake of a meeting.”
Nato considers military options
Nato chiefs plan a virtual meeting on Wednesday. Britain’s Admiral Tony Radakin is in Washington discussing a reassurance force for Ukraine.
Reports indicated Putin suggested Zelensky could travel to Moscow for talks, a proposal Kyiv would likely reject. Analysts say Russia may have offered an unrealistic option intentionally.
Trump appears to better understand the conflict’s complexity and the gap between Moscow’s demands and Kyiv’s stance.
His earlier promise of a quick ceasefire has not materialized. He now favors a permanent peace deal with strong security guarantees for Ukraine.
Zelensky and European leaders pressed him to support these guarantees, stressing their importance for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
US role remains uncertain
On Tuesday, Trump said the US could provide air support if Europe deployed ground troops in Ukraine. He ruled out sending American soldiers and did not clarify whether support would include fighter jets, drones, or intelligence.
France and the UK lead a “coalition of the willing” preparing a reassurance force for deployment if hostilities end.
After a virtual meeting, Downing Street said the coalition would meet US officials soon to finalize security guarantees for Ukraine.
Tensions shadow peace prospects
Following his meetings with Putin and Zelensky, Trump said direct talks could advance peace but acknowledged “tremendous bad blood” between the leaders.
They last met in 2019. Since then, Russia’s invasion caused tens of thousands of deaths, widespread destruction, and ongoing attacks on civilians.
Putin refuses to recognize Zelensky’s legitimacy and blames him for Ukraine’s Western ties. He repeats false claims of a “neo-Nazi regime” and says any ceasefire must include leadership change.
Moscow has little incentive to negotiate while holding the upper hand on the battlefield.
Still, Zelensky and European leaders support a summit. Zelensky said he is open to “any format” of talks, and Europeans have proposed potential venues.
They hope backing dialogue might convince Trump to adopt a tougher stance if Putin resists compromise.
Europe voices skepticism
European leaders remain wary of Russia’s intentions. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron called Putin “a predator, and an ogre at our doorstep,” expressing strong doubt about Moscow’s willingness for peace.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Putin was “rarely to be trusted” and questioned whether a meeting with Zelensky would happen.
More high-level discussions are planned in the coming days. Questions persist over how firmly Trump will support Europe on Ukraine’s security.
