Zelensky proposes Trump-Putin-Ukrainian summit as war escalates

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed a groundbreaking three-way summit involving himself, former US President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin as tensions from Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine intensify.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, Zelensky said he was open to “any format” of dialogue that could bring the war closer to an end. “If Putin is not comfortable with a bilateral meeting, or if everyone wants it to be a trilateral meeting, I don’t mind. I am ready for any format,” he said.

The proposal comes as direct peace talks remain elusive. Earlier this month, the Kremlin rejected calls for a meeting in Turkey, insisting such a discussion would only follow a preliminary agreement.

Meanwhile, both Ukraine and Russia have escalated aerial offensives. Ukraine reportedly launched nearly 300 drones at Russian territory overnight, forcing major airports in Moscow to suspend flights for hours. On the other side, Russia has also intensified its strikes, with over 900 drones deployed in the last three days alone. Thirteen Ukrainian civilians, including children, were killed in Sunday’s attacks.

Zelensky further urged the United States to enforce fresh sanctions against Russia’s banking and energy sectors, revealing discussions with Trump about applying harsher measures should Moscow refuse to halt its offensive. “We are waiting for sanctions from the United States of America,” he noted.

Trump, for his part, labeled Putin “crazy” over the weekend following Russia’s deadly airstrikes and warned on Truth Social that the Russian leader was “playing with fire,” claiming his past interventions had prevented worse consequences for Russia.

On the battlefield, Zelensky warned of Russia “amassing” more than 50,000 troops near Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy border region, as Moscow pursues its stated goal of creating a so-called “buffer zone” inside Ukrainian territory.

Despite recent talks in Istanbul — the first in over three years — Ukraine accused Russia of stalling the peace process, with no official memorandum yet presented outlining Moscow’s demands.

As diplomatic efforts falter, Zelensky is set to visit Germany for discussions with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has reaffirmed Berlin’s support for Kyiv.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has indicated that details of a potential second round of negotiations would be released soon. Until then, both the military and diplomatic standoffs show no sign of abating.