Trump in major U-turn as he says Zelensky-Putin summit 'better' without him

Donald Trump on Tuesday signalled a shift in his approach to ending the war in Ukraine, saying a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky might be "better" if it happened without him present. The president, who has repeatedly pushed for a three-way summit, told conservative podcaster Mark Levin that allowing the two leaders to meet alone first could help observers understand the dynamics of their strained relationship.

Mr Trump said: "I thought it would be better if they met without me, just to see. I want to see what goes on. You know, they had a hard relationship, very bad, very bad relationship. And now we'll see how they do and, if necessary, and it probably would be, but if necessary, I'll go and I'll probably be able to get it close."

Mr Trump described his previous meetings with both leaders as "very successful" and emphasised his readiness to step in if direct talks falter. Earlier this week, he hosted Zelensky along with seven European leaders at the White House, after which he spoke with Putin for about 40 minutes.

The remarks came days after Mr Trump travelled to Alaska to meet Putin face-to-face for the first time since the first Trump administration, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff.

While Mr Trump has suggested a US-brokered trilateral summit would eventually take place, he indicated on Tuesday that a preliminary meeting between Putin and Mr Zelensky could proceed without his direct involvement.

Mr Trump's remarks Tuesday reflect a significant adjustment in his public stance: from advocating a US-led trilateral summit as the centrepiece of negotiations to suggesting he might be better leaving Mr Zelensky and Putin to get on with it.

Stressing that the process of arranging talks is ongoing, Mr Trump added: "I just want to see what happens at the meeting."

While he left open the possibility of attending a later trilateral summit, he framed his involvement as conditional, depending on the outcome of direct discussions between the two leaders.

Mr Zelensky has in the past expressed openness to a direct encounter with Putin, but Russia has not yet committed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that any summit "should be prepared step by step, gradually, starting from the expert level and then going through all the necessary stages".

A one-on-one meeting between Mr Zelensky and Putin would nevertheless face significant obstacles. Russia continues to occupy parts of eastern and southern Ukraine, and Moscow has repeatedly demanded concessions which Kyiv has refused. Meanwhile, Ukraine is seeking strong security guarantees backed by Western powers to prevent another invasion in the future.

Without a framework addressing these fundamental issues, and given the ongoing missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities, arranging a safe and productive bilateral summit would be a difficult diplomatic feat.

The ongoing conflict has prompted Western nations to explore security guarantees for Ukraine. NATO defence chiefs were set to hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, with Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of NATO's Military Committee, noting that 32 defence chiefs from across the alliance would participate.

US General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's supreme allied commander Europe, was also scheduled to join the talks.

The discussions aim to establish potential security arrangements to support Kyiv and help create the conditions for a lasting peace, though Mr Lavrov criticised such efforts, saying it is "proposed to resolve collective security issues without the Russian Federation. This will not work." He added that Russia will "ensure (its) legitimate interests firmly and harshly."

European allies are considering a multinational force to backstop any peace agreement, with 30 countries, including Japan and Australia, signing on to support the initiative. Mr Trump, however, has ruled out sending US troops to defend Ukraine directly, leaving Washington's role primarily diplomatic.

The security discussions coincide with continued Russian attacks on Ukraine. Overnight strikes targeted six regions, injuring 15 people, including a family with three small children. Ukrainian officials reported that ports, fuel, and energy infrastructure were also hit. In response, Mr Zelensky said that the attacks "only confirm the need for pressure on Moscow, the need to introduce new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy works to its full potential."

As international attention remains fixed on the prospects for diplomacy, the coming days will reveal whether direct talks between Putin and Mr Zelensky can gain traction and whether Mr Trump will play a central or supporting role in any eventual negotiations.