Confirmed! Putin to meet Zelenskyy within two weeks after talks with Donald Trump, Ukrainian president pushes for unconditional talks

The White House meeting on Monday between US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and top European leaders seems to have brought an important breakthrough. European leaders said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to meet Zelenskyy within the next two weeks, something that had been expected for a long time.

Reports say this progress came after Trump personally called Putin during the talks in the Oval Office. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed the news while speaking to reporters outside the White House. He said that President Putin has agreed to meet President Zelenskyy within the next two weeks, though the venue is still undecided.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb backed Merz’s remarks, telling CNN that Western leaders at the White House meeting had agreed to share the final agenda and proposals with Putin. Still, Stubb warned that it is unclear whether Putin is truly ready for direct, serious talks.

“The American president spoke with the Russian president and agreed that there would be a meeting between the Russian president and the Ukrainian president within the next two weeks,” Merz told reporters following Monday’s White House talks, according to AFP.

Zelenskyy has already said he is prepared to meet Putin, noting that while Russia is interested in one-on-one talks, Ukraine would also welcome a three-way format that includes President Trump.

Trump confirmed the news on Truth Social, saying that after his phone call with Putin, he had started arranging a meeting between the two leaders, with him serving as a mediator. For now, no date or location has been set.

Zelensky calls for unconditional talks with Putin

Zelensky said on Monday that he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin without setting any conditions. Speaking at a press conference after his talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House, Zelensky explained that Russia has suggested starting with a one-on-one meeting with Ukraine, followed by a trilateral meeting that would include Trump.

Zelensky said he is open to “any format” of talks and would decide on the trilateral meeting based on how the first round goes. He admitted that he does not yet know the full details of the proposed bilateral meeting.

The Ukrainian leader stressed that placing conditions would only prompt Putin to respond with his own demands. “I believe we should meet unconditionally and consider how to move forward on the path to ending the war,” he said.

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