Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a three-way summit with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in a renewed push to end Russia’s three-year invasion of Ukraine.
Zelensky made the offer after Putin turned down a bilateral meeting proposed in Turkey earlier this month. The Kremlin insists no meeting will take place until a preliminary agreement is in place.
“If Putin doesn’t want a bilateral meeting, I’m open to a trilateral one—Trump, Putin, and me,” Zelensky told reporters on Tuesday. His comments were published on Wednesday.
Zelensky also called on Washington to impose sweeping new sanctions on Russia, targeting its banking and energy sectors. “Trump said sanctions would follow if Russia doesn’t stop. We discussed both sectors. I hope the U.S. acts,” he said.
The Ukrainian president has recently criticized delays in U.S. sanctions, especially after Moscow rejected joint Western demands for a ceasefire.
Tensions are high on the battlefield. Hours after Zelensky’s remarks, Ukraine launched its largest drone barrage yet—nearly 300 drones overnight. Moscow reported minimal damage but suspended flights at major airports. Ukraine said Russia had fired over 900 drones in just three days, with 13 civilians, including three children, killed in weekend attacks.
Zelensky also warned of a buildup of more than 50,000 Russian troops near the northeastern Sumy region, where Russian forces have seized new settlements. He said Moscow aims to create a “buffer zone” inside Ukrainian territory.
Meanwhile, Trump has continued his public criticism of Putin. After calling him “crazy” over the weekend, he posted on Truth Social: “If it weren’t for me, really bad things would’ve happened to Russia. He’s playing with fire!”
Despite talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators in Istanbul earlier this month—the first in over three years—Kyiv says Russia is stalling. Zelensky noted that Ukraine is still waiting for a formal proposal from Moscow.
Zelensky is expected to meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday to discuss military and diplomatic support.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said details of a second round of talks will be announced soon.
The war, now in its third year, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions. Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
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