Trump Drops Zelenskyy Meeting Requirement Ahead of Possible Putin Talks
President Donald Trump has reversed a key White House position by stating he is willing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin even if Putin declines to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Gaze reports this, referring to Politico.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump dismissed the idea that a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting is a precondition for direct talks with the Kremlin.
“He doesn’t, no,” Trump said when asked if Putin must first meet the Ukrainian leader. “They would like to meet me, and I’ll do whatever I can to stop the killing.”
Trump's remarks came just hours after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had indicated that a trilateral format, involving both Putin and Zelenskyy, was a prerequisite for Trump’s engagement.
“President Trump would like to meet with both President Putin and President Zelensky because he wants this brutal war to end,” Leavitt stated. “The White House is working through the details of these potential meetings and details will be provided at the appropriate time.“
While Trump has expressed optimism about upcoming talks, he stopped short of calling them a “breakthrough.”
The president’s comments also raise uncertainty around his looming deadline: Trump previously warned that he would impose secondary sanctions on countries purchasing Russian oil if Putin did not take concrete steps toward de-escalation by Friday.
Asked whether that deadline still stands, Trump responded vaguely: “It’s gonna be up to him, we’re gonna see what he has to say.”
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov recently told state media that a Trump-Putin summit could take place next week, but played down the possibility of Zelenskyy’s participation.
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