Donald Trump says he plans to meet with Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy to negotiate end to war

President Trump plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as early as next week as he seeks to negotiate an end to their war, with Moscow facing a Friday deadline for possible U.S. economic penalties if Russia continues the fighting.

A White House official confirmed that Mr. Trump could meet with Mr. Putin next week for the first time in his second term, as the president announced Wednesday a new 25% tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil. Mr. Trump said India’s energy purchases are helping Russia’s war effort against Ukraine.

“There’s a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon,” Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House.

Still, Mr. Trump cautioned that he wouldn’t call it a “breakthrough.”

​”We’ve been working on this a long time​,” said Mr. Trump, who has been disappointed before by false starts by Mr. Putin in ceasefire talks. “There are thousands of young people dying​. … We don’t have American soldiers there, but I feel I have an obligation to get it stopped. This was not my war.​”

He told European leaders in a call Wednesday that he plans to meet first with Mr. Putin, then follow it up with a meeting with both Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelenskyy, two people familiar with the plan told The New York Times. The meetings would not include European officials.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the “Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelenskyy.”

“President Trump wants this brutal war to end,” she said in a statement.

Sources said the European officials seemed to accept the plan. The call with Mr. Trump included British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and officials from the U.S., including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Mr. Trump said he spoke with the European allies to share with them the “great progress” that was made in a meeting earlier in the day between Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Putin.

“Afterwards, I updated some of our European Allies. Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come,” he said on social media.

Mr. Zelenskyy said in a social media post that he was on the call that Mr. Trump had with European leaders after Mr. Witkoff met with Mr. Putin.

“Our joint position with our partners is absolutely clear — the war must end. And it must be done honestly,” Mr. Zelenskyy wrote. “European leaders were on the call, and I am grateful to each of them for their support. We discussed what was spelled out in Moscow. Ukraine will definitely defend its independence. We all need a lasting and reliable peace. Russia must end the war that it itself started. Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine.”

He didn’t acknowledge or confirm Mr. Trump’s plan of the meeting with Mr. Putin. The Russian president hasn’t said anything about it, either.

Yuri Ushakov, Mr. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, said the Russian leader and Mr. Witkoff had a “useful” meeting and a “constructive conversation.” He said the meeting focused on Ukraine and “prospects for possible development of strategic cooperation between the U.S. and Russia.”

Mr. Putin’s envoy for investment and economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, was also present for the meeting with Mr. Witkoff. Mr. Dmitriev played a key role in three rounds of direct talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul, along with discussions between Russian and U.S. officials.

In a social media post, Mr. Dmitriev said, “Constructive US-Russia dialogue continues and is critical for global security and peace.”

Mr. Trump has ramped up his efforts to end the war that started in February 2022, something he pledged to do on his first day in office. More than six months later, that goal hasn’t been accomplished. 

Western analysts and Ukrainian officials say Mr. Putin is stalling for time and avoiding serious negotiations while Russian forces push to capture more Ukraine land. A Russian offensive that started in the spring and is expected to continue through the fall is advancing faster than last year’s push but is making slow and costly gains and has been unable to take any major cities.

The situation on the front line is critical for Ukrainian forces but defenses are not about to collapse, analysts say.

Earlier on Wednesday, a White House official said the U.S. was still expected to impose secondary sanctions against Russia on Friday, after a 10-day deadline that Mr. Trump imposed is to expire. The White House has not yet released details about the sanctions.

The administration has threatened “severe tariffs” and other economic penalties if the killing doesn’t stop.

Mr. Trump also has threatened to slap tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil. His announcement Wednesday of a 25% tariff on India for buying Russian oil would be imposed on top of initial 25% tariffs on India’s exports to the U.S., which will go into effect on Thursday.

The extra tariff on India for its Russian oil purchases will take effect 21 days after Mr. Trump signs the order.

The president had threatened the increased tariff earlier this week, saying India’s purchase of Russian oil fuels the Kremlin’s war with Ukraine.

“India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then, for much of the oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA.”

India has pushed back on Mr. Trump’s claims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has had a friendly relationship with Mr. Trump, urged his citizens to buy local goods instead of U.S. imports.

He also signaled that India will not stop buying Russian oil. India is Russia’s second-largest customer for oil, behind China.

In a statement Monday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the country’s purchases of Russian oil “are meant to ensure predictable and affordable energy costs to the Indian consumer.”

“They are a necessity compelled by global market situation. However, it is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia. Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion,” the spokesperson said.

Late last month, Mr. Trump gave Russia 10 days to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine or face sanctions and penalties. The 10 days was a much shorter deadline than the initial 50-day window Mr. Trump gave Russia earlier this year.

Russia so far has been exempt from the list of countries that have been slapped with tariffs. But the president is hoping the threat of penalties on Russia and countries who get energy from Russia, will put pressure on Moscow to end the war.

Dimitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, said the deadline will not end well for the U.S.

The president has grown increasingly frustrated with Russia over the war with Ukraine. Russia has continued its attacks, with another overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, killing two and injuring 12.

Mr. Zelenskyy said, “There is zero military sense in this strike. Only cruelty to intimidate.”

Tensions have grown between Mr. Trump and Mr. Medvedev. Mr. Trump called Mr. Medvedev “the failed former president of Russia.” Mr. Medvedev responded with a threatening message.

In response, Mr. Trump said he positioned two nuclear submarines “in the appropriate regions” near Russia “just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.”