Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a three-way summit with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to bring an end to Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Zelensky expressed willingness to meet in any format, saying, “If Putin is not comfortable with a bilateral meeting, or if everyone wants it to be a trilateral meeting, I don’t mind. I am ready for any format.”
The proposal comes after Putin declined an earlier invitation to meet Zelensky in Turkey, with the Kremlin stating that no such talks would happen unless a preliminary “agreement” is reached. Meanwhile, Trump has voiced dissatisfaction with the stalemate, urging both leaders to reach a deal to end the conflict.
Zelensky also appealed to Washington for a new wave of sanctions targeting Russia’s banking and energy sectors. “We are waiting for sanctions from the United States of America,” he said, adding that Trump had previously assured him of sanctions if Russia refuses to halt its offensive. “We discussed two main aspects with him — energy and the banking system. Will the US be able to impose sanctions on these two sectors? I would very much like that.”
His comments came amid rising frustration over the lack of decisive Western action following Russia’s rejection of a joint international call for an immediate ceasefire.
Just hours after Zelensky’s remarks, Ukraine launched what the Russian Defense Ministry described as one of its largest drone attacks to date, deploying nearly 300 drones across Russian territory. Moscow reported only minimal damage from the barrage.
On the ground, the situation remains dire. Zelensky warned that Russia is consolidating over 50,000 troops along Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy border region. Russian forces have already captured several settlements as they attempt to establish what Putin has referred to as a “buffer zone” inside Ukrainian territory.
Zelensky also disclosed that Ukraine has yet to receive a formal “memorandum” outlining Russia’s conditions for a peace deal, further underscoring the deep impasse in negotiations.
What you should know
President Zelensky’s call for a summit with Trump and Putin reflects growing urgency to end the war, now in its third year.
With Russian forces pushing deeper into Ukrainian territory and diplomatic efforts stalled, Zelensky is seeking broader international intervention—particularly from the US to pressure Moscow into meaningful negotiations.
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