WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has said he expects to hold separate high-level engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the near term, signalling a renewed diplomatic push around the protracted war in Ukraine.
In an interview with Politico, Trump said he anticipates speaking with Putin “soon,” expressing optimism about the prospects of their conversation. “I think it’s going to go good with [Vladimir] Putin,” the US president said, adding that he wants the call to take place as quickly as possible.
Trump also confirmed that he expects to meet Zelensky this weekend, describing the anticipated discussions with the Ukrainian leader in similarly positive terms. “I think it’s going to go good with him,” Trump said, suggesting confidence in his ability to engage both sides of the conflict.
The comments come amid mounting international attention on whether Washington might recalibrate its approach to the war, which has entered a prolonged and costly phase with no clear military resolution in sight. Trump has repeatedly argued that the conflict could be brought to an end through direct negotiations, contrasting his stance with that of previous US administrations which prioritised military and financial support for Kyiv.
Earlier on Friday, Zelensky said he expected substantive talks with Trump to focus on sensitive and strategic issues, including territory, the future status of the Donbas region, and the potential withdrawal or repositioning of Ukrainian forces. Zelensky also indicated that the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) — Europe’s largest nuclear facility — would be on the agenda, underscoring international concerns over nuclear safety amid ongoing hostilities.
The ZNPP has remained a focal point of global anxiety since coming under Russian control, with both Moscow and Kyiv accusing each other of reckless actions that could trigger a nuclear incident. Any discussion involving its operation or governance would mark a significant development in diplomatic efforts surrounding the conflict.
While details of Trump’s expected conversation with Putin remain unclear, analysts say the US president’s remarks point to an attempt to reassert Washington’s role as a central broker in any future settlement. Direct communication between US and Russian leaders has been limited and heavily scrutinised since the start of the war, given the broader breakdown in relations between the two nuclear-armed powers.
In Moscow, Russian officials have consistently stated that they are open to dialogue, provided their security concerns and territorial claims are taken seriously. Kyiv, meanwhile, has maintained that any negotiations must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, even as the realities on the battlefield and growing war fatigue among allies complicate its position.
Trump’s dual outreach to Putin and Zelensky is likely to be watched closely by European allies, many of whom fear being sidelined in negotiations that could reshape the security architecture of Eastern Europe. With billions of dollars in military aid already committed and domestic political pressures rising in multiple capitals, the prospect of US-led talks — even preliminary ones — carries significant geopolitical weight.
Whether these anticipated conversations will translate into concrete diplomatic progress remains uncertain. However, Trump’s comments suggest a shift towards direct, leader-to-leader engagement, raising the stakes for what could become the most consequential diplomatic effort on the Ukraine war since its escalation.
