Trump dials Putin during Zelenskyy meet, says setting meeting between Russia-Ukraine

US President Donald Trump on Monday phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly after a private meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a meeting with European leaders at the White House. Trump confirmed that he has begun planning a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, aimed at ending the nearly four-year-long conflict in Ukraine.

“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 Zelenskyy,” Trump posted on Truth Social. 

“After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, the two Presidents, plus myself,” he wrote. 

Putin-Trump call: 40 minutes of ‘constructive dialogue’ 

According to Russian news agencies, Trump’s call with President Putin lasted 40 minutes. A Kremlin aide revealed that both leaders discussed elevating the level of official negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and agreed to stay in close contact regarding the crisis. “This was a very good, early step for a war that has been going on for almost four years,” Trump remarked.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb later confirmed that Trump saw it as a “good idea” to directly reach out to Putin. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz added that the Russian president has agreed, in principle, to meet Zelenskyy within two weeks.

High-level talks with European leaders 

The day’s events began with a meeting between Trump and key European heads of state, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The leaders discussed coordinated “Security Guarantees for Ukraine,” with Trump asserting that the US would play a central role in organizing support alongside European partners.“Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine,” Trump said following the summit.

Zelenskyy says it was ‘best conversation’ with Trump 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met both publicly and privately with Trump during the day, praised their one-on-one session as their most productive yet. “It was the best conversation I’ve had with President Trump so far,” Zelenskyy said after the Oval Office meeting.

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been assigned to coordinate ongoing efforts with both Russian and Ukrainian officials, Trump confirmed.

Will trilateral talks involving Trump likely follow? “It’s an early step,” Trump said, “but an important one for peace.”