Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated he is prepared to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Lavrov told reporters that Putin would consider a direct meeting provided all issues requiring discussion are thoroughly worked out beforehand.
The remarks appear to confirm reports from the White House on Tuesday, which suggested a tentative agreement had been reached for the two leaders to engage in discussions.
Donald Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, described the talks as “encouraging conversations” and said they led to Putin agreeing to “the next phase of the peace process.” She added that, if necessary, trilateral talks including Trump could follow.
Details about a potential summit remain unconfirmed, with the world waiting for a formal response from Ukraine.
Zelensky has previously expressed willingness to meet Putin, though any such summit would likely need to take place on neutral ground. A Ukrainian source told the BBC that Kyiv “immediately rejected” a suggestion from Putin that the meeting be held in Moscow.
Leavitt said Trump hopes both leaders can “engage in direct diplomacy” but did not comment on reports that Putin had proposed the Russian capital as a potential location.
Trump said earlier that he has been working to arrange the meeting. Speaking to Fox News, he said: “They haven’t been exactly best friends. It only matters if we get things done… I hope that President Zelensky will do what he has to do. He has to show some flexibility also.”
A face-to-face meeting would mark a significant development in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights estimates that more than 13,800 civilians have been killed since the invasion began, though figures in Russian-occupied areas remain difficult to verify.
