Trump believes a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin is possible, but the focus is now elsewhere – White House

President of the United States Donald Trump believes that a meeting between his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, but now the focus is on the meetings between Washington and Moscow. This opinion was expressed by the White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt during a press conference published media outlet The National Desk.

The journalist recalled that after meeting with Putin in Alaska, the US president Donald Trump was optimistic that he could "get Zelenskiy and Putin in the same room." She asked if Trump still believed he could do that soon

"I think he [the US president] believes that it is possible. And he would certainly like to see it happen. But now negotiations are underway and plans are being developed for a meeting between the Russian side and our people, headed by the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and then perhaps a new meeting between president Putin and president Trump," Leavitt replied.

At the same time, the official added that she did not believe that Trump had "completely closed the door" on the meeting between the Russian dictator and the Ukrainian president.

As for when a new meeting between Trump and Putin might take place, Leavitt said that the White House would soon provide more details about the event.

UPDATED. Trump announces that his meeting with Putin in Budapest will take place within two weeks.

• On October 16, Trump held a call with Putin and announced a new meeting on ending the Russian-Ukrainian war in the Hungarian capital Budapest.
• The US president also said that he would discuss the call and "much more" at a meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House on October 17 (read more here).