Kremlin hints at Trump-Putin summit as Ukraine’s role remains unclear

A top Kremlin aide says Presidents Trump and Putin may meet "in the coming days," with a location already agreed upon in principle, according to reporting from NBC News’ Keir Simmons.

(NBC)- A top Kremlin aide says Presidents Trump and Putin may meet “in the coming days,” with a location already agreed upon in principle, according to reporting from NBC News’ Keir Simmons.

The Russian government is said to be “quite positive” about the possibility of a summit as early as next week. However, Moscow appears to be dismissive of a U.S. proposal for a trilateral meeting involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. That idea surfaced following a visit to Moscow by Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, earlier this week. The trip came just days ahead of President Trump’s stated deadline for a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine.

White House officials previously told NBC News that Trump would push for a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy as part of any broader peace effort. Trump confirmed Thursday that a summit involving both leaders is still a possibility, citing “very good talks” between Putin and his envoy. But he stopped short of calling it a breakthrough.

Sources say the proposal caught both European leaders and some inside the White House by surprise. A face-to-face meeting with Trump would mark Putin’s first such engagement with a U.S. president since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy responded Thursday, saying international pressure on Russia is having an effect. He added that Ukraine is “not afraid of meetings” and expects the same “brave approach” from the Russian side.