CNN reported that the U.S. President has requested that “both meetings” be arranged as soon as possible.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov stated that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned the possibility of a trilateral meeting between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Volodymyr Zelensky during talks at the Kremlin. However, the Russian side did not comment on the proposal and instead suggested focusing on preparations for a bilateral summit.

Ushakov told reporters, “Regarding the possibility of a trilateral meeting, which was discussed in Washington for some reason, it was merely mentioned by the American envoy during the meeting at the Kremlin. But this specific possibility was not discussed, and the Russian side did not comment on it at all.”

He emphasized the bilateral meeting, saying, “We propose, first and foremost, to focus on preparing a bilateral meeting with Trump. We believe it’s important for this meeting to be successful and productive.

Earlier, following a working meeting between Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, President Trump expressed optimism about prospects for a settlement in Ukraine and a meeting with both Putin and Zelensky. According to The New York Times, Washington is planning to hold a bilateral summit between Russia and the United States first, followed by a trilateral meeting involving Zelensky⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾⁽³⁾.

CNN later reported that the U.S. President requested that “both meetings” be arranged as soon as possible.⁽⁴⁾.

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, following Trump’s remarks about a possible summit with both leaders “very soon.

Zelensky wrote on social media, “We in Ukraine have repeatedly said that real solutions can be effective at the leadership level. It is necessary to set a date for such a format and define the issues to be discussed.

Russia and Ukraine have previously held three rounds of negotiations in Istanbul but failed to achieve any breakthrough toward a ceasefire, as the two sides remain deeply divided on key issues.