Trump wants to meet with Putin next week, then the three of them with Zelenskiy and without Europe – NYT

President of the United States Donald Trump intends to meet personally with the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, and shortly thereafter to hold a trilateral meeting with the leader of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but without the participation of European partners, reports the New York Times, citing two anonymous sources familiar with the plan.

According to them, Trump announced his plans during a conversation with Zelenskyy and European leaders on August 6, which followed talks between the US president's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin in Moscow.

One of the interlocutors said that European leaders seemed to agree with Trump's words that only he, Zelenskyy, and Putin would attend the meetings, and that European representatives would not be present.

The NYT notes that it is not yet known whether Zelenskyy and Putin have agreed to the plan announced by Trump.

According to media reports, the phone call between Zelenskyy, Trump and European leaders was attended by the British prime minister Keir Starmer, chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz and NATO secretary general Mark Rutte, and on the American side, there were also Vice President J.D. Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and special envoy Witkoff.

The media outlet asked for comment from White House spokespeople, Witkoff, Vance, Rubio, and the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskovbut they did not provide answers.

In a post about the results of the meeting between Witkoff and Putin in Moscow, Trump does not mention any plans to meet with the Russian dictator and the president of Ukraine.

UPDATED. The White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said that it was the Russian dictator who, in communication with Witkoff, proposed a meeting with Trump, reports Axios media.

The official noted that the US president is "open to meeting with both president Putin and president Zelenskyy" and "wants this brutal war to end."

• In his publication, the US president said that during the conversation between Witkoff and Putin "great progress was made". Zelenskyy, after speaking with Trump and European leaders, said that, it seems that Russia is now more committed to a ceasefire, he also announced a meeting of security advisers from Ukraine and partners to determine a common position.
• In his evening address, the president of Ukraine thanked the European leaders for their support and said: "Our common position with our partners is absolutely concrete and transparent: the war must be ended. And it must be done honestly".
• Previously, Russia opposed the participation of European countries in peace talks, and they instead expressed the opposite position. In the spring, Zelenskyy said that Europe was at the negotiating table will be represented by France and the United Kingdom.