Trump Seeks Urgent Meeting with Putin After Skipping Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks

President Donald Trump on Friday expressed a strong desire to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at addressing the ongoing war in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters from Abu Dhabi, where he concluded his four-day tour of the Middle East, Trump said, "I think it’s time for us to just do it," emphasizing that both sides need to move forward toward dialogue.

Trump reiterated his view that a meeting between himself and Putin is crucial to breaking what he called the current deadlock in peace negotiations. Referring to Ukraine's recent push for direct talks, he claimed, "If I don't go, I guarantee Putin's not going. And he didn't go." Trump appears to be positioning himself as a necessary intermediary in any potential high-level efforts to end the conflict.

Recent days have seen heightened diplomatic activity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy extended an invitation to Putin for face-to-face negotiations in Istanbul. However, Putin declined the offer, instead dispatching a lower-level delegation led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. Ukraine’s team is headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

Key points shaping the peace prospects include:

• Ukraine’s acceptance of a U.S. and European-backed proposal for a full 30-day ceasefire.
• Russia’s effective rejection of the plan, demanding what many in the West see as far-reaching conditions.
• Ongoing allegations by Ukrainian and Western analysts that Russia is preparing a new military offensive.

Zelenskyy, critical of Putin's absence, accused Moscow of not engaging seriously, calling Russia’s delegation "a theater prop." Despite frustrations, he stressed that Ukraine remains committed to peace efforts and hopes to demonstrate this resolve to Trump and the broader international community.

As the two sides prepare for talks in Istanbul, expectations remain tempered. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who met with Turkish and Ukrainian officials in a three-way meeting, stated bluntly, "We don't have high expectations of what will happen tomorrow. And frankly, at this point, I think it's abundantly clear that the only way we're going to have a breakthrough here is between President Trump and President Putin."

The gap between Russia and Ukraine’s terms for ending the war remains wide, and observers anticipate little immediate progress from the lower-level talks. Nonetheless, the diplomatic atmosphere is charged, with all eyes now on whether a summit between Trump and Putin can be arranged—and whether such a meeting could deliver a turning point after more than three years of conflict.

For now, the world watches as the intricate dance of diplomacy continues, with signals from Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv suggesting that the path to a peaceful settlement remains as complex as ever.