US President Donald Trump announced on Monday (local time) that he plans to set up face-to-face talks between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents

In what could be a significant diplomatic breakthrough, US President Donald Trump announced on Monday (local time) that he plans to set up face-to-face talks between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents to help bring an end to the war in Ukraine. “After the meetings, I reached out to President Putin,” Trump shared on his Truth Social platform, referring to his discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and seven other European leaders. “I’ve started making arrangements for a meeting, with the location still to be decided, between President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” he added. The US leader mentioned that the talks between Putin and Zelenskyy would be followed by a trilateral summit involving the three leaders. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are working together with Moscow and Kyiv on this initiative, he noted. Putin 'willing' to meet Zelenskyy According to a source, during his meeting with Zelenskyy and the European leaders, Trump took a brief moment to call Putin. “Putin expressed to Trump his willingness to meet with Zelenskyy,” the Associated Press reported. On August 15, Trump met with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss the ongoing conflict that began in February 2022. Trump's 'good meeting' with Zelenskyy and European leaders On Monday, Trump hosted Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Trump stated that the group talked about “security guarantees” for Ukraine, along with commitments to be made by European nations in coordination with the United States.

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