Trump: Putin-Zelensky Meeting Could Take Place “Very Soon”

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump said early Wednesday that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky could be arranged “very soon,” while refusing to rule out further US military strikes against Iran after the November 3 midterm elections.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One after returning from campaign rallies in Texas, Trump said he had discussed the conflicts involving Russia and Ukraine, as well as Iran, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

“I think with Russia we’re making a lot of progress with Russia-Ukraine. There’ll be a meeting set up very soon,” Trump said.

Asked who would participate, he named Putin and Zelensky but offered no details about the proposed meeting’s date, location or format.

Russia and Ukraine last held US-mediated peace negotiations earlier this year, with three rounds of talks taking place in January and February in Abu Dhabi and Geneva. A direct meeting between the two presidents would mark an unprecedented development since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Turning to Iran, Trump claimed that Tehran wanted to reach an agreement with Washington but was delaying negotiations, potentially until after the November 3 midterm elections.

“I think with Iran, we’re in a very good position. It’s a question of, when do I want to end it?” he said, reiterating his recent assessment of the conflict.

When asked whether the United States might launch additional strikes against Iran after the elections, Trump declined to provide a clear answer.

“Anything’s possible, but I can’t tell you,” he said.

The conflict between Washington and Tehran began with US-“Israeli” strikes against Iran in late February, triggering a wider regional confrontation. Despite a ceasefire and an agreement to finalize a peace deal, the conflict remains unresolved.

Trump’s latest remarks leave uncertainty over both diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and the possibility of renewed US military action against Iran following the American midterm elections.