There appears to be little movement toward a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite both leaders holding separate meetings with President Donald Trump in the past week as part of efforts to end the war.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told NBC News that while Putin may be open to meeting Zelenskyy at some point, no plans are in place.
“There is no meeting planned,” Lavrov said. “Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda would be ready for a summit. This agenda is not ready at all.”
On Friday, Trump described the two leaders as very different.
“They don’t get along too well for obvious reasons, but we’ll see,” Trump said. “We’ll see if I would have to be there. I’d rather not. I’d rather them have a meeting to see how they can do, but in the meantime they continue to fight and continue to kill people.”
Zelenskyy, speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Friday, accused Russia of deliberately stalling any talks to prolong the war.
Behind the scenes, senior officials have been discussing both political and military options for ending the conflict. Conversations have focused on potential security guarantees and how the United States and Europe might help ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty.
A senior official involved in the talks said U.S. involvement remains unclear. Trump has ruled out American troops on the ground but has not ruled out providing intelligence or air support. Officials added that Europe is expected to shoulder much of the effort and is “primed to seize this opportunity.”
