Key takeaways
- President Donald Trump said on October 28, 2026 that a meeting involving Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky would be set up soon, but gave no date or venue.
- Neither Kyiv nor Moscow has publicly confirmed that their leaders have agreed to meet.
- The Kremlin says a leaders' meeting should follow, not precede, a negotiated settlement, and it has repeated an invitation for Zelensky to travel to Moscow.
- The announcement follows a US-Russia diesel arrangement and a reported review of sanctions relief for a Russian state investment fund, both of which have unsettled Kyiv and European capitals.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would be arranged “very soon,” according to the Kyiv Post. A Trump Putin Zelensky meeting would be the first face-to-face encounter between the two wartime leaders, but Trump gave no date or venue, and neither Kyiv nor Moscow has confirmed that their leaders agreed to it.
Trump spoke to reporters after returning from Texas, where he had held two midterm campaign rallies, Bloomberg reported. He said the United States was making “a lot of progress” on Russia and Ukraine. The remarks came six days before the November 3 US midterm elections, and the war is now in its fifth year.
What did Trump actually announce?
Asked to clarify which meeting he meant, Trump said it would involve Putin and Zelensky, according to UA News. The Kyiv Post reported that the statement comes ahead of planned trilateral negotiations among Ukrainian, American and Russian representatives in November.
Italian outlet Il Sole 24 Ore noted that Trump has made similar predictions before without a meeting taking place. In August 2025, for instance, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov denied that Trump and Putin had agreed on a face-to-face meeting with Zelensky, according to the Kyiv Independent via Yahoo. That history explains the caution in Kyiv and in European capitals.
How does the Kremlin view a Trump Putin Zelensky meeting?
The Kremlin’s position differs from Trump’s framing. On Tuesday, October 27, Putin spoke by phone with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. According to the Kyiv Post, Ushakov said Putin repeated that Zelensky should come to Moscow for direct talks. The same report said Moscow wants a leaders’ meeting only after negotiators have drafted a long-term settlement.
Ushakov told state broadcaster Vesti that Putin offered security guarantees for a Zelensky visit, according to Reform News. Kyiv has previously rejected Moscow as a venue and asked for neutral ground, the Kyiv Post said. A Sputnik report quoted Ushakov as saying that for now the only agreed item is a resumption of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi among Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
Ukraine’s side has stressed coordination with partners. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the Nordic call was coordinated with Kyiv and that Ukraine is ready to meet Putin, according to Il Sole 24 Ore. Zelensky also said Europe must be included in the November talks, the Kyiv Post reported.
Why is the timing contentious?
The announcement follows a period of strain between Washington and Kyiv. Trump and Putin agreed on a diesel supply arrangement in a call on October 9, according to RT, which said Washington then issued a temporary sanctions waiver for Russian diesel imports. NPR reported that European officials largely viewed the move as another attempt to pressure Ukraine in Russia’s favour. CNBC reported that Zelensky criticised the White House waiver of key provisions of a recent sanctions package, saying it helped only Russia.
On October 27, the New York Times reported that the administration is weighing removal of sanctions on the Russian Direct Investment Fund, according to Meduza. A US official told the Times the Treasury is reviewing the fund’s request under standard procedures, according to Liga.net. Russia is pressing for relief so the fund can take part in the diesel supply.
Axios, as relayed by Daily Beirut, reported that Trump struck the diesel deal after Zelensky ignored six US demands to stop attacks on Russian refineries. Trump said last week that Russia wants a deal while Zelensky does not, according to the same outlet. For more on the Ukrainian side of the energy war, see Intelligence Report’s coverage of the UN Commission of Inquiry finding on Ukraine’s energy system and the Starlink restrictions in Ukraine.
What role is Europe playing?
European leaders are pressing for a seat. According to UA News, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the United States and Russia cannot agree an end to the war without Ukraine’s participation. The Nordic call to Putin, held in consultation with Kyiv, signals that some European governments want a direct channel to Moscow, as the Finnish presidential office indicated.
Ushakov said Russia is not yet considering who would represent Europe in negotiations, as that would be decided at a much later stage, per Sputnik. That leaves open a disagreement between Kyiv and European capitals, which want European participation, and Moscow, which has not accepted it.
What to watch
- Official confirmation: any statement from the Kremlin, the Ukrainian presidential office or the White House naming a date or venue for a leaders’ meeting.
- The November trilateral talks: whether delegations meet in Abu Dhabi, and who represents Europe, if anyone.
- November 3 US midterm elections: Trump’s announcement came six days before voting, and the diplomatic tempo may shift afterward.
- APEC summit in Shenzhen, November 18 and 19: the Wall Street Journal reported, per Euronews, that the Kremlin floated a summit there, though no agreement had been reached at that time.
- Treasury decision on the Russian Direct Investment Fund: a sanctions delisting would be a concrete shift in US pressure on Moscow.
Frequently asked questions
Has a Trump Putin Zelensky meeting been confirmed?
No. Trump said on October 28, 2026 that a meeting would be set up very soon, but he gave no date or venue. According to the Kyiv Post, neither Kyiv nor Moscow has publicly confirmed that the two leaders agreed to meet.
Where does the Kremlin say Putin and Zelensky should meet?
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on October 27, 2026 that Putin told Finland's Alexander Stubb and Norway's Jonas Gahr Støre that Zelensky should come to Moscow. Kyiv has previously rejected Moscow as a venue and asked for neutral ground, the Kyiv Post reported.
What talks are actually scheduled on Ukraine?
Ushakov said Moscow has agreed to resume trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi among Russia, Ukraine and the United States. The Kyiv Post reports they are expected in November. Zelensky has asked that Europe be included, while Moscow says the question of European representation will be decided later.
Sources
- Trump Says Putin and Zelensky Could Meet Soon as US Pushes for Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks
- Trump Says Meeting With Zelenskyy and Putin Will Be Set Up Soon
- Kremlin Reiterates Moscow's Invitation to Zelensky After 'Frank' Discussion With Finnish, Norwegian Leaders
- Putin Invited Zelenskyy to Moscow, Ushakov Says
- Putin Tells Stubb, Stoere About Possibility of Zelensky Coming to Moscow
- Video: Trump announced a meeting with Zelenskyy and Putin in the near future
- Trump weighs lifting sanctions on Russian fund, NYT reports
- NYT: US considers lifting sanctions on Russian fund financing Putin's projects
- Russia boosts diesel production after Putin-Trump deal
- Trump Announces "Soon" Meeting Between Putin and Zelensky
Top image: Юрий Д.К. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
This article was produced by the Intelligence Report Desk. Sources are linked below.
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