White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt has stated that the US president "expects" a bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to take place, following discussions with both leaders and European leaders.
Asked by reporters about the idea of a bilateral meeting instead of a trilateral format that would also include Trump, Leavitt said the decision was made during Monday's talks with key players, including Putin, Zelensky and EU leaders, the BBC reports.
"Everyone agreed that it would be good for these two leaders to sit down together. President Trump expects that to happen," Leavitt said.
Kremlin does not confirm agreement to meet with Zelensky
However, the Kremlin has hinted that Putin has not yet agreed to meet with Zelensky alone, which has raised questions about the concretization of this meeting. Leavitt, asked about this discrepancy, assured that the Trump administration is working to make the meeting happen.
She was also asked about the private phone call between Trump and Putin during the president's meetings with European leaders, a conversation that has sparked interest and speculation.
"The other leaders were grateful that Trump had a phone call with Putin," Leavitt said, without providing further details or confirming where and when the meeting between Putin and Zelensky might take place.
This development comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, with Trump aiming to position himself as a key broker in a peace deal – a promise he has frequently articulated during his campaign.
