US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, August 13, that he wants a three-way meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after his upcoming Alaska summit with Putin.
He hopes the talks will help bring an end to the war in Ukraine, which has lasted more than three years.
Trump made the comments after a call with European leaders, including Zelensky, which he described as “very good,” even as Russian forces launched their biggest advance into Ukraine in over a year.
“If the first meeting goes well, we could have a quick second one,” Trump told reporters, referring to Friday’s planned summit with Putin in Anchorage. “I would like to meet almost immediately with both President Putin and President Zelensky, if they are open to it.”
The meeting is high-stakes, as Trump tries to deliver on his campaign promise to end the conflict. European leaders and Zelensky have urged him to push for a ceasefire.
However, there are concerns that Trump and Putin could make a deal that forces Ukraine to give up land, especially since Zelensky was not invited to the Alaska talks.
Trump said he would cancel the follow-up meeting if he felt Putin was not negotiating sincerely. “If I feel it’s not right because I didn’t get the answers we need, then the second meeting won’t happen,” he said.
AFP reported that on Tuesday, Russian forces captured about 110 square kilometers of Ukrainian land, the largest gain in a single day in over a year.
Earlier, Zelensky joined a call with Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, other European leaders, and NATO and EU officials. They agreed that Trump should push for a ceasefire, while he warned Russia of “serious consequences” if it refuses.
Zelensky, however, remains doubtful about Russia’s intentions: “I have told our partners that Putin definitely does not want peace.”
Trump described Friday’s meeting as a “feel-out session,” but suggested that future talks could include possible land swaps. Merz said Ukraine is willing to negotiate territorial issues but stressed that officially recognizing Russian-occupied areas is not negotiable.
Despite these diplomatic efforts, Russia’s attacks in eastern Ukraine continue. Ukrainian soldiers near the front line in Kramatorsk remain worried.
“Putin is building up forces, stockpiling weapons, and trying to trick us,” said Artem, a 30-year-old soldier. “This war is likely to continue for a long time.”
