Tripartite discussion scheduled between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Putin at the White House
In a bid to find a resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, a trilateral summit between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is being planned as a potential diplomatic effort.
As of August 2025, the immediate meetings have been bilateral between Trump and Putin, with no finalized trilateral meeting confirmed. The summit between Trump and Putin took place in Alaska, but no fixed venue for a trilateral meeting has been announced yet.
Trump has expressed a desire to meet with both Putin and Zelenskyy to end the war, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. However, Zelenskyy has not yet agreed to a trilateral meeting, and Putin's willingness to engage directly with Zelenskyy remains uncertain.
Trump publicly expressed skepticism about Zelenskyy's position on territorial concessions but hoped to recover "prime territory" for Ukraine through negotiation. The proposed trilateral summit could mark a significant turning point or a diplomatic showdown in the effort to end hostilities.
In a recent phone call with Zelenskyy and several European leaders, media reports indicated that Trump intends to meet with Putin "as early as next week." Trump denied media claims that his meeting with Putin would only take place if Putin also met with Zelenskyy.
Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy, had a meeting with Putin, and the White House is reportedly working on organizing a trilateral meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Putin.
Potential formats for high-level meetings were discussed during the phone call with Trump, Zelenskyy, and European leaders. The Polish news outlet Onet reported that it had learned the details of a "favourable" American proposal regarding Ukraine which had been presented to Putin during talks with Witkoff in Moscow.
Despite the uncertainties, the developments remain fluid, with the possibility of escalating into a high-stakes diplomatic event depending on the willingness of the involved leaders.
[1] White House press briefing, 12 August 2025. [2] Reuters, 15 August 2025. [3] CNN, 17 August 2025. [4] BBC News, 19 August 2025. [5] The New York Times, 21 August 2025.
- The potential trilateral summit, if successful, might have a significant impact on both the economy (through potential peace agreements and subsequent trade deals) and health (by reducing the risk of escalation leading to further humanitarian crises).
- Given the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Ukraine, policy-and-legislation both in the United States and Europe may undergo changes based on the outcomes of upcoming high-level meetings, particularly the proposed trilateral summit.
- The political landscape of the world, specifically Europe and the United States, will be closely watched as the planned trilateral summit progresses, with general-news outlets providing regular updates on the developments and ensuing negotiations between Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy.
