Trump described his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin as great and indicated that a bilateral meeting between the two leaders could happen.

Key developments from Trump's statement

Trump's remarks signal a potential opening for direct diplomatic engagement between the United States and Russia. The statement referenced both the quality of the conversation and the possibility of a face-to-face bilateral meeting, though no further details on timing, location, or agenda were provided in the source.

The remarks mark a notable public characterisation of the state of communication between the two heads of state, with Trump choosing to describe the exchange in positive terms.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stated that Washington achieved "substantive progress" toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war after envoys shuttled between Moscow and Kyiv. He highlighted movement toward scheduling additional trilateral talks.

Diplomatic shuttle

Witkoff and Jared Kushner, joined by National Security Council, State Department, and Treasury officials, met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The mission aimed to facilitate dialogue under President Donald Trump’s direction.

The Moscow meeting lasted more than three hours. In Kyiv, national security advisers from Britain, Germany, and France joined the delegations to collaborate on the path forward. This marked Witkoff and Kushner’s first official wartime visit to Kyiv.

Progress and next steps

Witkoff told reporters that the team heard "new ideas" in Moscow and described the Kyiv talks as substantive. On Monday, he confirmed via his official X account that progress included movement on scheduling additional trilateral talks. Trump had previously indicated the US possessed a "concrete proposal" for peace.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia did not rule out resuming trilateral talks but called discussion of dates or a venue premature. CIA Director John Ratcliffe had previously floated a Trump-Putin-Zelenskyy summit during an August visit to Moscow.

Military pause ends

Russia and Ukraine agreed to a three-day "no-shoot policy" ahead of the trip to enable discussions. Putin ordered a 72-hour halt on strikes against Kyiv, while Zelenskyy announced Ukraine would refrain from striking Moscow through Monday.

Fighting resumed shortly after the envoys departed Ukraine. Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv on Tuesday, injuring six people. The White House stated earlier that sides discussed "substantive plans for next steps," which it said it would announce in the coming weeks.

Key developments

• Witkoff and Kushner are identified as US special representatives.
• A Reuters witness previously confirmed the motorcade carrying Witkoff, Kushner, and Dmitriev leaving the airport en route to Moscow.
• The strike pause was explicitly linked to the preparation for the American delegation's arrival.