--- title: White House Suggests Trump-Putin Meeting Could Come Soon description: President Donald Trump said Wednesday that there’s a “good chance” he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky soon to discuss a potential ceasefire agreement canonical: https://time.com/7308098/trump-ukraine-ceasefire-putin-meeting-zelensky/ author: Nik Popli article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-08-06T23:04:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T08:09:48.002Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump-Putin Meeting Could Come Soon, Trump says og:description: “There's a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon," Trump said. og:url: https://time.com/7308098/trump-ukraine-ceasefire-putin-meeting-zelensky/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte89b5e4760db5f98/6998c8dde2d64b8f7ac5f921/GettyImages-2228840030.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: President Trump Makes An Announcement In The Oval Office og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump-Putin Meeting Could Come Soon, Trump says twitter:description: “There's a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon," Trump said. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte89b5e4760db5f98/6998c8dde2d64b8f7ac5f921/GettyImages-2228840030.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # White House Suggests Trump-Putin Meeting Could Come Soon > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=3c4be2b4-e6b8-42a1-8876-6a35ce0b4829&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Twice a week | time.com/newsletters, September 2026 | | Written by | Philip Elliott, Senior Correspondent | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The policy influence ecosystem. A policy-focused audience spanning government, public affairs, advocacy, law, research, political media, and the institutions that make, interpret and respond to public policy. ### TIME D.C. Brief: key statements * D.C. Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * D.C. Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=3c4be2b4-e6b8-42a1-8876-6a35ce0b4829&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/subscribe?i=3c4be2b4-e6b8-42a1-8876-6a35ce0b4829&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's politics newsletter? D.C. Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=3c4be2b4-e6b8-42a1-8876-6a35ce0b4829&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: White House Suggests Trump-Putin Meeting Could Come Soon [Watch (HLS stream): White House Suggests Trump-Putin Meeting Could Come Soon](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/iXx1kKmR.m3u8) (2:14)  _Published 2025-08-07. Atop Kremlin aide said that Donald Trump will meet Vladimir Putin as early as next week, in what would be the first in-person meeting between an American and Russian President in years._  by [Nik Popli](https://time.com/author/nik-popli/)  ## Nik Popli Staff Writer Aug 6, 2025 11:04 PM UTC Atop Kremlin aide said that Donald Trump will meet Vladimir Putin as early as next week, in what would be the first in-person meeting between an American and Russian President in years.  by [Nik Popli](https://time.com/author/nik-popli/)  ## Nik Popli Staff Writer Aug 6, 2025 11:04 PM UTC President Donald Trump said Wednesday that there’s a “good chance” he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky soon to discuss a potential ceasefire agreement that could end Russia’s three-year war against Ukraine. "We had some very good talks with President Putin today and there's a very good chance that we could be ending the round—the end of that road,” he told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday evening. “There's a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon." He did not specify where the meeting would take place, and Russia and Ukraine have not commented publicly on the potential meeting. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to TIME that Russia first suggested the meeting, and that Trump is “open” to the idea of meeting both Putin and Zelensky. The comments about a possible summit came just days before Trump’s Friday deadline for Russia to reach a ceasefire deal with Ukraine or [face “very severe” sanctions](https://time.com/7307971/trump-deadline-russia-india-oil/) designed to cripple its oil trade. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow for about three hours, which Trump described as “highly productive” and wrote in a [post on Truth Social](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114982898525988419) that “great progress was made.” Following that meeting, Trump held a call with European leaders and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to provide an update. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was more guarded about the potential meeting between Trump and the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, telling Fox Business on Wednesday evening that it “remains to be seen” if the meetings take place next week. “I think it will depend a lot on how much progress we can make,” he said, adding that Wednesday’s meeting between Witkoff and Putin gave the Trump Administration a sense of what conditions the Russians would require in order to end the war. “I don't think you can have a leaders-level meeting if you're not close enough, because then nothing's going to come of that meeting. We want to get it close enough and then we want to give the President the opportunity to come in and close it.” Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Putin over the past month, calling his continued attacks on Ukrainian cities “disgusting” and “a disgrace.” More than 6,700 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the first half of this year, according to the [United Nations](https://ukraine.un.org/en/297777-civilian-casualties-ukraine-reach-three-year-high-june-un-human-rights-monitors-say#:~:text=The%20figures%20for%20June%20confirmed,4%2C381%20civilian%20casualties%20were%20documented.). In response, Trump last week demanded that Putin strike a ceasefire deal with Ukraine within 10 days or it could face economic repercussions, including new sanctions on the countries that do business with Russia and additional sanctions on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”—a network of obscure oil tankers that it has used to circumvent a price cap on seaborne oil. That deadline expires on Friday. Trump on Wednesday took the first step towards punishing Russia by signing an executive order that imposes an additional 25% tariff on goods from India because it continues to buy oil from Russia. The additional tariff on India is set to take effect in 21 days, bringing the total duties imposed on Indian products up to 50%. Trump suggested that more countries could face secondary tariffs for buying oil in Russia. China, for example, is the [largest importer](https://www.russiamatters.org/analysis/secondary-tariffs-or-tighter-sanctions-strategies-end-russias-war-ukraine) of Russian oil, with $62.5 billion worth of purchases last year, followed by India at $52.7 billion. Zelensky appeared to suggest on Wednesday that the conflict could be nearing a peace agreement. “It seems that Russia is now more committed to a cease-fire. The pressure on them is working,” he said in an evening address to the nation. “But the main thing is that they do not deceive us or the United States in the details.” Trump has met in-person with Zelensky at least three times since returning to office, including a Feb. 28 meeting where he lashed out at the Ukrainian president and accused him of prolonging Russia’s invasion. The two leaders met again on April 26 on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral and in The Hague on June 25. Meanwhile, Trump has not met with Putin during his presidency. If it takes place, it would mark the first in-person summit between an American and Russian president in more than four years. Such a meeting could be seen as a victory for Putin, who has been largely isolated by European leaders and NATO countries who refuse to deal with him. ## Transcript Well, there's a very good prospect that they will. And we haven't determined where, but we had some very good talks with President Putin today. And there's a very good chance that we could be ending the ending, the round ending the end of that road. That road was long and continues to be long, but there's a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon. Excuse me. How close do you think you are to some kind of deal? Well, I don't look, I don't want to say I've been disappointed before with this one. What was the breakthrough today? Did Vladimir Putin make some kind of concession that he hasn't been willing to make before? I don't call it a breakthrough. I mean, we've been working on this a long time. There are thousands of young people dying, mostly soldiers, but also, you know, missiles being hit into Kiev and other places. But in terms of soldiers, I think Russia has lost over 20,000 since the beginning of the year. 20,000. And, uh, I guess the estimate for Ukraine is about 9000. It's a it's a terrible it's a terrible situation. We want to get it stopped. You know, we don't have American soldiers there, but I feel I have an obligation to get it stopped. This was not my war. This war would have never started. Not even a chance. And it didn't start for four years. When? Four years. And it didn't start. But this is Biden's war. This was was on his watch. And you know, it's funny. We had no land was taken from Trump. It was taken from Bush. It was taken from Biden. The whole thing they would take from Biden if it weren't for us. But it was. And it was taken by Obama. Take a look at what was taken with all of the land that was taken. Nothing was taken by Russia from us. Not one ounce of land was taken. I'm here to get the thing over with. It would have never started if I were president. And we're here to get it stopped and get the death stopped. But we've made a lot of progress. And as you know, we put a 50% tariff on India on oil. They're the second largest. They're very close to China in terms of the purchase of oil from Russia. But so I don't know if that had anything to do with it. But we've had very productive talks today. Yes, ma'am. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7308098/trump-ukraine-ceasefire-putin-meeting-zelensky/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7308098/trump-ukraine-ceasefire-putin-meeting-zelensky/"},"headline":"White House Suggests Trump-Putin Meeting Could Come Soon","datePublished":"2025-08-06T23:04:28.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T08:09:48.002Z","description":"“There's a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon,\" Trump said.","url":"https://time.com/7308098/trump-ukraine-ceasefire-putin-meeting-zelensky/","keywords":["Donald Trump"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte89b5e4760db5f98/6998c8dde2d64b8f7ac5f921/GettyImages-2228840030.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Nik Popli","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/nik-popli/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte89b5e4760db5f98/6998c8dde2d64b8f7ac5f921/GettyImages-2228840030.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"President Trump Makes An Announcement In The Oval Office","caption":"President Trump Makes An Announcement In The Oval Office","creditText":"Win McNamee—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/donald-trump/","name":"Donald Trump"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7308098/trump-ukraine-ceasefire-putin-meeting-zelensky/","name":"White House Suggests Trump-Putin Meeting Could Come Soon"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"White House Suggests Trump-Putin Meeting Could Come Soon","description":"Atop Kremlin aide said that Donald Trump will meet Vladimir Putin as early as next week, in what would be the first in-person meeting between an American and Russian President in years.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/iXx1kKmR/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2025-08-07T15:44:23.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/iXx1kKmR.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/7308098/trump-ukraine-ceasefire-putin-meeting-zelensky/","duration":"PT2M14S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/7308098/trump-ukraine-ceasefire-putin-meeting-zelensky/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```