Russian and Ukrainian presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky looked set for a peace summit after fast-moving talks Monday between Donald Trump and European leaders that focused on the key issue of long-term security guarantees for Kyiv.<\/p>\n
Hopes of a breakthrough rose after Trump said he had spoken by phone with Russian counterpart Putin — whom he met in Alaska last week — following a “very good” meeting with the Europeans and the Ukrainian president at the White House.<\/p>\n
It would be the first meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders since Moscow’s brutal invasion nearly three and a half years ago, and comes as Trump tries to live up to his promise to quickly end the war.<\/p>\n
Trump, 79, wrote on his Truth Social network that “everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia\/Ukraine.”<\/p>\n
“At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky,” Trump said.<\/p>\n
Trump said he would then hold a three-way summit with the Ukrainian and Russian leaders.<\/p>\n
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Putin had agreed to the bilateral meeting within the next two weeks but there was no confirmation of a date or location.<\/p>\n