Is a Trilateral Putin-Trump-Zelensky Meeting Back on the Table?

Recent positive interactions between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, culminating in a productive phone call on Saturday, are reigniting questions about a potential trilateral peace summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. While the call focused on the Gaza deal and Ukraine’s defense, it fits into a broader context of Trump’s long-held desire to mediate an end to the conflict.
During their conversation, Zelensky congratulated Trump on the Gaza ceasefire and linked it to the possibility of ending the “Russian war.” This aligns with Trump’s own ambitions, who previously suggested he expected Zelensky and Putin to hold a bilateral meeting before he would host a trilateral summit with them. The warming relations between Washington and Kyiv could be a crucial first step in reviving that plan.
The call also underscored the complexities involved. Zelensky stressed that “real diplomacy” can only be achieved “through strength,” a condition he discussed with Trump in the context of needing enhanced air defenses. This implies that any summit would have to be preceded by a significant bolstering of Ukraine’s military capabilities, a point Zelensky made sure to emphasize.
The dynamic with Russia remains the largest obstacle. Just last month, Trump expressed that he was “very disappointed” in Putin and was planning actions to reduce deaths in the war. This tension complicates the path to a three-way meeting, yet Trump has also maintained his belief that all three leaders “want to see it ended.”
Saturday’s call, therefore, can be seen as a foundational step. By strengthening the US-Ukraine partnership and aligning on a strategy of “peace through strength,” Trump and Zelensky are creating the conditions that they believe are necessary before any direct, high-stakes negotiations involving Moscow could be successfully undertaken.