Trump plans to meet Putin as early as next week

(Patria) - US President Donald Trump plans to personally meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the plan, Reuters reported last night.

Trump plans to meet with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the newspaper reported, adding that the plans were revealed in a phone call with European leaders on Wednesday.

"The Russians have expressed a desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky. President Trump wants this brutal war to end," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in response to the report.

It was not immediately clear where or when such meetings would take place.

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump acknowledged speaking with European leaders following a "very productive" meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin in Russia.

Stressing that "great progress" was made during the meeting, Trump wrote on Truth Social: "Everyone agrees that this war must end, and we will work on it in the coming days and weeks."

Trump, who promised during his presidential campaign to end the Russian war in Ukraine "on day one," has had several phone calls with Putin and met with Zelensky since returning to the White House in January.

However, in recent weeks, he has become increasingly frustrated with Moscow over the lack of progress towards ending the three-year conflict. As a result of his frustration, Trump has given Russia a deadline of Friday to agree to peace in Ukraine or face new sanctions.