WASHINGTON, USA — US President Donald Trump has said there is a “very good prospect” for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, possibly within days, as part of a rapidly advancing diplomatic effort that could lead to a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Trump made the comments in the Oval Office on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, following what he described as “very good talks” between Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow earlier in the day.
“There’s a very good chance that we could be ending – the ending, the road ending, the end of that road,” Trump said.
“That road was long and continues to be long, but there’s a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon.”
According to two White House officials who spoke with CNN, Putin proposed a direct meeting with Trump during the three-hour meeting with Witkoff, a move confirmed by a European government source who was briefed on a subsequent Trump call with European leaders.
Trump reportedly told European counterparts he hoped to meet Putin as early as next week, followed by trilateral talks involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The White House is said to be preparing for the meeting on a fast-tracked schedule, with several potential venues under discussion.
“The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the president is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelenskyy,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
“President Trump wants this brutal war to end.”
The diplomatic overture comes amid intensified US pressure on Moscow.
Earlier this week, Trump imposed a deadline for a ceasefire or risk severe secondary sanctions, including a 100% tariff on nations buying Russian oil.
On Wednesday, August 6, 2025, Trump followed through with an additional 25% tariff on India, criticising the country for helping Russia “wage war in Ukraine” by reselling oil on the open market.
Speaking to Fox Business, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration had obtained “concrete examples” of what Russia would require to end the war, describing this as a potential turning point.
“For the first time perhaps since this administration began, we have some concrete examples of the kinds of things that Russia would ask for in order to end the war,” Rubio said.
Russian state media described the Putin-Witkoff meeting as “constructive and useful.”
The Kremlin noted that both sides had exchanged “signals” about the potential resolution of the war, while further details would be released after Witkoff reports back to Washington.
Following a direct conversation with Trump, President Zelenskyy expressed cautious optimism in his nightly address.
“It seems that Russia is now more inclined toward a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said.
“The pressure on Russia is working. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details.”
However, hours before the diplomatic engagement, Russian missiles and drones struck Ukrainian cities, including the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, where a recreation centre was bombed, killing two civilians and wounding four children.
In the southern Odesa region, a gas compressor station was targeted, disrupting energy flows.
“This was a deliberate blow to our preparations for the heating season,” Zelenskyy said.
“Absolutely cynical, like every Russian strike on our energy infrastructure.”
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the ceasefire talks, Ukraine continues to receive international backing.
On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, NATO allies pledged more than $1 billion in military support, including a new weapons acquisition initiative led by the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Additionally, the US State Department reportedly signed off on a $200 million military procurement package for Kyiv’s partners to fund technical support and artillery supplies—although no official comment has been made by the US.
While Trump has not disclosed a date or location for the proposed summit, his administration appears poised to push forward with a high-stakes diplomatic push that could reset global engagement on the war in Ukraine.
“I’ve been disappointed before with this one,” Trump said of Putin, signalling both hope and caution.
