US President Donald Trump has told his team to “move fast” to arrange a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to CNN. The directive came after Putin proposed a direct meeting during talks earlier in the day with US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The White House reportedly began planning for a potential summit immediately, with Trump emphasizing the need for quick action. Though these types of high-level meetings typically require preparation time, the President was reportedly urging his team to expedite the process. No location has been confirmed, but discussions could begin as early as next week.
Trump praised the outcome of the Putin-Witkoff talks, stating there is “a very good prospect” for a meeting between the Russian president and Ukraine’s leader, Vladimir Zelensky. The White House is also considering a trilateral summit involving all three leaders, provided peace talks on the Ukraine conflict go well.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that this could be the next step if peace negotiations progress. Trump has also been discussing plans to hold a trilateral summit with Putin and Zelensky, following a one-on-one meeting with the Russian leader, according to the New York Times.
Moscow has not yet confirmed any plans for a meeting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that time is needed to normalize US-Russia relations before a summit can occur. Relations between Washington and Moscow have deteriorated to an unprecedented level under President Joe Biden, according to Peskov, who told TASS on Wednesday that the current state of relations requires time for normalization before any formal meeting can be arranged.