President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing for a high-stakes face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week—followed by a three-way summit that would include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The goal: bring an end to the war that has dragged on for years, devastated Eastern Europe, and destabilized global energy markets.

News of the planned meeting broke just hours after U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held what Trump called a “highly productive” session with Putin on Wednesday. The talks, which took place behind closed doors, focused on potential frameworks for peace and the role the U.S. might play in facilitating negotiations.

“Great progress was made!” Trump wrote on Truth Social after receiving Witkoff’s update. “Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that both Putin and Zelenskyy have expressed openness to meeting with Trump directly. “President Trump wants this brutal war to end,” she stated, adding that Trump is determined to push forward with negotiations if it means the violence can be brought to a halt.

Putin, during his meeting with Witkoff, reportedly told the envoy he was open to a summit with Trump, especially if it focused on peace. According to Fox News, Trump agreed to the idea, but only if it was directly tied to a ceasefire or comprehensive agreement with Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy confirmed on Wednesday that he spoke with Trump and several European leaders during a call that followed the Moscow meeting. “Our joint position with our partners is absolutely clear—the war must end. And it must be done honestly,” he said. Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would defend its independence at all costs but said the door to peace remained open if Russia would stop its aggression.

European leaders reportedly support Trump’s efforts, recognizing the urgency of the conflict and the lack of progress through traditional diplomatic channels. Trump’s direct intervention, given his ties to both sides and his leverage on the world stage, could provide a new path forward.

Back in July, Trump raised eyebrows when he imposed a deadline for Putin to agree to a deal with Ukraine—initially giving 50 days before threatening “very severe” tariffs. That deadline was later moved up to 10 days from July 29, placing the pressure squarely on Moscow. However, this week Trump softened the tariff threat amid concurrent trade talks with China and India.

“We’ll see what happens over the next fairly short period of time,” Trump said, responding to questions about the planned meetings. “We have a meeting with Russia… We’re going to see what happens.”

Trump’s supporters see this as a signature move by a president willing to go where career politicians won’t—into the center of a global conflict to force a resolution. His critics, meanwhile, are concerned about the optics of meeting with Putin, but the White House has made it clear this is about peace, not politics.

If successful, the upcoming Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy summit could mark one of the most significant diplomatic events in modern history, potentially reshaping alliances and altering the course of a war that many had assumed would grind on indefinitely.

The world will be watching.