US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not need to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before a planned summit with the US.
Asked by a reporter whether a meeting between Putin and Zelensky was necessary to secure a meeting with the US, Trump replied curtly: "No."
Trump and Putin are expected to meet for the first time next week to discuss ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Both leaders have said the "time is right" for such a summit, although a date and location have not yet been confirmed.
The US president did not provide details on the 10-day deadline he has set for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which expires on Friday. If there is no progress, Trump has threatened sanctions on Russia's trading partners, and has already announced new tariffs on India.
Asked if that deadline still applies, Trump said: "We'll see what he [Putin] has to say. It's all going to depend on him."
Russia has been waging a devastating war against Ukraine for more than three years. Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to end the conflict as soon as possible.
This summit would be the first meeting between a sitting US president and Putin since 2021, when Joe Biden met with him in Geneva.