Trump is preparing for a trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelensky following a bilateral summit in Alaska.

Trump Announces Potential Tripartite Summit After Bilateral Meeting with Putin

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his upcoming bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for this Friday in Alaska, could lay the groundwork for a tripartite summit involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Some great things can be achieved in the first meeting—which will be very important—but it sets the stage for a second meeting,” Trump told reporters in Washington.

This bilateral meeting is set to take place at a military base near Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska, with the stated goal of finding a resolution to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Trump expressed his desire to hold a second meeting soon, this time including both Putin and Zelensky. “I would like to do it almost immediately, and we will have a second meeting between President Putin, President Zelensky, and myself, if they want me there,” he clarified.

However, he emphasized that the success of this tripartite meeting would depend on the outcome of his tête-à-tête with the Russian president.

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump reported having had a “very good call” with several European leaders, including Ukrainian President Zelensky, to discuss the upcoming summit. “I would rate that very cordial call a 10,” he stated during an address at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday to prepare for the meeting between Trump and Putin. On Monday, Trump expressed optimism that this diplomatic initiative could result in a "swift" ceasefire in Ukraine.