Overview

• Trump said he phoned Vladimir Putin and began arranging a face‑to‑face with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral session including himself.
• Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the leaders favored continuing direct talks, though a Putin–Zelenskyy meeting has not been formally confirmed.
• Zelenskyy signaled openness to a three‑way meeting, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Trump and Putin agreed to aim for a bilateral within roughly two weeks.
• After initially deeming a ceasefire unnecessary, Trump later said participants would prefer an immediate halt to fighting while pursuing a lasting deal.
• Trump endorsed NATO‑like guarantees led by Europe without committing U.S. combat troops, while Russia rejected any NATO presence and territorial demands remain a core obstacle.