US President Donald Trump has suggested holding a ‘quick’ second round of talks following the Alaska summit, bringing together Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky.
Trump expressed willingness to join the meeting if invited, highlighting potential for renewed dialogue between the leaders. Ahead of his meeting with Putin, Trump emphasized his intent to assess the current situation and progress. The potential talks have sparked discussions about the feasibility and conditions for such a meeting, given the complex political dynamics and mutual distrust between the involved parties.
Zelensky, who earlier called the Alaska summit a ‘personal victory’ for Putin, arrived in Berlin to join German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a video call between European leaders and Trump. Moscow has long accused Zelensky of being in denial and unnecessarily prolonging a conflict he cannot win.
Russian officials have said the upcoming Trump-Putin meeting is a chance to mend strained relations between Russia and the US and tackle long-running disagreements between the two countries. Putin has said he has ‘nothing in principle’ against meeting with Zelensky but maintains that ‘certain conditions must be created’ for it to take place. He has also questioned Zelensky’s legal capacity to sign binding agreements, as the Ukrainian leader’s presidential term expired last year and he has refused to hold a new election, citing martial law – prompting Moscow to declare him ‘illegitimate.’