US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be arranged "very soon."
"A meeting will be arranged very soon, and I think a great deal of progress can be made," Trump told reporters, referring to diplomatic efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration intensifies its diplomatic efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war, now in its fifth year.
Zelensky announced Sunday that a trilateral meeting between Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow would be held in November to revive stalled peace talks.
The Kremlin had previously announced that a meeting between the three countries was scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates in November.
Putin has repeatedly refused to hold direct talks with Zelensky and has insisted that Moscow intends to take control of the remaining parts of eastern Ukraine.
Trump took office in January 2025, pledging to end the war within 24 hours, but US-led talks have dragged on for over a year without a breakthrough, while tens of thousands have been killed.
Direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine were held in 2025, but failed to produce a settlement, with both sides holding firm to their positions.
The Kremlin has so far ruled out any possibility of a meeting between Putin and Zelensky outside of Moscow.
Russia rejects any ceasefire before an agreement is reached on the core issues, arguing that a truce would allow Kyiv to rearm.
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