Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin are anticipated to engage in a bilateral meeting in the upcoming two weeks, as announced by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday.
Merz indicated that this agreement came after a phone conversation between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, who confirmed that both leaders had consented to meet. A trilateral summit involving Trump may follow.
"The American president had a phone discussion with the Russian president and confirmed that a meeting between the Russian president and the Ukrainian president would take place within the next two weeks," Merz informed reporters at the White House. He also mentioned that there are lingering doubts about whether Putin will "have the courage" to show up.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy aide, verified that senior negotiators would keep the discussions going but did not clarify if Putin himself would be present.
Discussions at the White House, which included European leaders, focused on the next steps in negotiations. Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that a ceasefire must come before any peace agreement, a demand that Putin has dismissed, instead advocating for an immediate accord.
Significant divisions persist, especially regarding Russia’s insistence that Ukraine relinquish substantial portions of its territory — a condition that Kyiv firmly rejects.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer characterized the summit as "good and constructive," highlighting two key outcomes: enhanced U.S.-European collaboration on security assurances for Ukraine and a preliminary agreement for the Zelensky-Putin meeting, which would be succeeded by trilateral discussions with Trump.
Macron underscored that any agreement must guarantee that Ukraine maintains "a robust army capable of resisting any attempted assault," without limitations on size or capability. He cautioned that additional sanctions would be imposed if Moscow hindered progress. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reiterated this warning, stating that the U.S. and Europe would intensify tariffs and sanctions if Russia delayed.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Trump had promised to assist in the return of Ukrainian children taken by Russia.
"Every single Ukrainian child must be reunited with their families," she expressed, showing gratitude to Trump for his dedication.
Trump subsequently referred to the matter as a global priority and something "very important" to his wife, Melania.