Overview

• Trump told reporters that Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky “hate each other” so much they are unable to talk directly.
• He said that if a three-way summit occurs, he would have to conduct the conversation because of their mutual hostility.
• Trump has previously said preparations were underway for a Putin–Zelensky meeting that could precede a three-way session, yet no date or format has been set.
• Putin publicly invited Zelensky to meet in Moscow, an offer Zelensky rejected while saying he is ready to meet in any format.
• Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin and Trump backed continuing direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations and discussed possibly raising the level of representatives.