Trump says meetings with Zelenskyy, Putin will happen only when peace plan nears 'final stages'

President Donald Trump has not sketched out a clear timeline for his involvement in the Ukraine peace talks , but in a latest development, he has said he’ll meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Russian President Vladimir Putin only when a near-final deal is on the table.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump sounded upbeat about the pace of negotiations. “Over the past week, my team has made tremendous progress with respect to ending the war between Russia and Ukraine,” he said, stressing that the once-controversial 28-point peace plan has undergone major revisions. “The original plan has been fine-tuned, with additional input from both sides, and there are only a few remaining points of disagreement.”

To keep talks moving, Trump confirmed that US envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow next, while Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll—who recently took part in quiet discussions with Russian officials in Abu Dhabi—will head back to Kyiv. The idea, one aide said, is to keep communication “constant, direct and practical” rather than symbolic.

Kyiv, for its part, signalled that it’s ready for the next round. Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, said Ukraine is prepared for a leaders’ meeting once everything is lined up. “We have a solid foundation laid in Geneva,” Yermak said. “President Zelensky and the entire team in Kyiv are fully committed to further cooperation. The meeting of the presidents will be thoroughly and promptly prepared on our side.”

Behind the scenes, US and Ukrainian negotiators have reportedly agreed in principle to an updated version of the plan drafted in Geneva that shifts emphasis away from sweeping territorial concessions and toward stronger long-term security guarantees for Kyiv. These guarantees—which could involve US commitments and potentially European participation—are shaping up to be central to any final agreement.

Still, hurdles remain.

Kyiv continues to reject any proposal that would force it to formally surrender territory seized by Russia, while Moscow insists that any peace deal must recognise what it calls “new realities."

Trump, however, insisted the process is moving in the right direction.

“We’re getting very close,” he said, adding that his personal meetings will happen only when both sides are ready to seal the deal.