German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday announced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to hold a bilateral meeting within the next two weeks, raising cautious optimism for renewed peace efforts.
Speaking at the White House after high-level talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders, Merz said the breakthrough followed a phone conversation between Trump and Putin, during which both leaders agreed to the meeting. He hinted that a trilateral summit involving Trump could follow.
“The American president spoke with the Russian president on the phone and agreed that there would be a meeting between the Russian president and the Ukrainian president within the next two weeks,” Merz told reporters, though he added that doubts remain over whether Putin will “have the courage” to attend.
Putin’s foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, confirmed that senior negotiators would continue talks but declined to guarantee the Russian leader’s participation.
The White House discussions, joined by French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, exposed sharp divisions over the path forward.
Merz and Macron stressed that a ceasefire must precede any peace settlement — a stance Kyiv supports but Moscow has rejected. Russia has instead pushed for an immediate deal that would require Ukraine to cede large portions of its territory, a condition Zelensky flatly refuses.
Starmer described the talks as “good and constructive,” noting two key outcomes: deeper U.S.-European cooperation on security guarantees for Ukraine and agreement in principle for the Zelensky-Putin meeting, to be followed by trilateral talks with Trump.
Macron insisted that any final deal must leave Ukraine with “a robust army that can resist any attempted attack,” warning that Moscow would face additional sanctions if it obstructed progress. Rutte echoed the warning, vowing tougher tariffs and penalties should Russia stall.
Von der Leyen added that Trump had pledged to prioritize the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia. “Every single Ukrainian child must be returned to their families,” she said, thanking the U.S. president for his commitment. Trump later described the issue as a global priority and one “very important” to First Lady Melania Trump.