US President Donald Trump is open to meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, the White House said Wednesday.
The meeting could take place as early as next week, The New York Times newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources.
The possibility was discussed in a call between Trump and Zelensky that, according to a senior Ukrainian source, also included NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the leaders of Britain, Germany and Finland.
It came after Washington’s envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow for talks with Putin earlier in the day.
“The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the president is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The New York Times reported that Trump intended to meet first with Putin, and then to follow that up with a three-way meeting involving the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.
NATO and Ukrainian officials did not confirm the report when contacted by AFP.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump hailed the meeting between his envoy and Putin as “highly productive,” but US officials said sanctions would still be imposed on Moscow’s trading partners.
Trump, who had boasted he could end the conflict within 24 hours of taking office, has given Russia until Friday to make progress towards peace or face new penalties.
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