Zelensky Open to Trump-Putin Summit Amid Rising Tensions
In a surprising move aimed at breaking the deadlock in the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested a three-way meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky said he’s open to any format that leads to peace. “If Putin isn’t comfortable with a one-on-one meeting, and everyone prefers a three-way discussion, that’s fine with me,” he told reporters.
The Kremlin recently rejected a proposed meeting between Zelensky and Putin in Turkey, stating that any meeting would depend on reaching an initial agreement.
Meanwhile, tensions continue to rise as Ukraine launched nearly 300 drones in a massive overnight strike on Russian targets. In response, Russia has escalated its own air assaults, keeping the conflict in a dangerous cycle.
Sanctions and Trump’s Reaction
Zelensky urged the United States to apply strict sanctions on Russia’s energy and banking sectors. He mentioned that these topics had already been discussed with Trump, who confirmed that if Russia does not halt its actions, sanctions would be imposed.
After a recent Russian attack killed 13 civilians, including children, Trump took to Truth Social to call Putin “crazy” and warned, “He’s playing with fire.”
Ongoing War, Growing Tensions
Despite international diplomatic efforts, the war is now in its third year. Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
Ukraine reports Russia has deployed over 900 drones in three days and is concentrating over 50,000 troops along the northeastern Sumy border—likely to build what Putin describes as a "buffer zone."
Peace Talks and Diplomatic Push
Though Ukraine and Russia held their first face-to-face talks in more than three years in Istanbul, no clear progress was made. Zelensky stated that his government is still waiting on a formal memorandum from Russia detailing peace demands.
The Ukrainian leader is scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz this week, who has pledged strong support for Kyiv. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the next round of negotiations would be announced soon.
The world now watches closely to see if diplomacy can break the cycle of war or if the battlefield will continue to define the outcome.
