U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Russia could face serious consequences if a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin does not take place.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Trump Insists on Holding Zelensky – Putin Summit
During a conversation with reporters at the White House, Donald Trump emphasized that the absence of a personal meeting between the leaders of the two countries could lead to significant consequences for Russia. At the same time, he did not specify what actions he was referring to.
“Yes, there could be very serious consequences. But let’s see what happens. The consequences could be very serious. This (the war – ed.) is something that needs to end.”
Since the beginning of 2025, Donald Trump has been actively trying to act as a mediator in resolving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. He initiated a series of meetings: on August 15, talks took place between Trump and Putin in Alaska, and just a few days later, Trump met with Zelensky and European leaders at the White House. Following these discussions, Russia continued its full-scale invasion, which began back in February 2022.
High-Level Meeting Still in Question
Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at the celebrations for the 34th anniversary of independence, emphasized that a direct meeting with Putin remains the most effective way to achieve peace. The Ukrainian leader has already agreed to such negotiations and has repeatedly insisted on them, particularly during peace initiatives in Istanbul in May; however, Russia has taken a wait-and-see approach.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in a comment to American media, stated that the summit can only take place once an agenda is agreed upon. According to Lavrov, this agenda is currently absent, which is blocking negotiations between Putin and Zelensky.