Trump Open to Summit with Putin when Russia is Ready for Peace Deal

US President Donald Trump has stated he is prepared to engage in another summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but only when Russia is ready to negotiate a peace deal to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The president's comments came during a media interaction at the Oval Office on Wednesday.

When asked if Putin would agree to another meeting in the near future, Trump expressed his belief that the Russian leader would be willing to reciprocate, though he emphasised the importance of timing. "He'd do it. I want it, but I want to do it when we're ready to do a peace deal," Trump said, indicating that the discussions should focus on peace rather than merely a high-profile meeting.

Trump further highlighted the necessity for the United States to foster positive relationships with both Russia and Ukraine, suggesting that improved diplomatic ties would be advantageous for business interests as well. "We want to have good relationships with Russia, Ukraine, with everybody. Be great for business," he remarked.

While Trump mentioned that a summit could potentially be arranged quickly, he preferred to wait until the war is close to concluding. "I want to do it when that war is ending, and I think we will," he asserted.

Reflecting on the current state of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump reiterated his belief that the war "should have never happened". He attributed its occurrence to his absence from office following the 2020 presidential election, claiming that had he been re-elected, the conflict would have been avoided. Trump stated, "There's zero chance" the war would have occurred during his prior administration from 2016 to 2020, noting that he had discussions with Putin that contributed to the absence of conflict.

Describing the animosity between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he said that both sides might be close to a point where discussions could resume.

The last summit between Trump and Putin occurred in Alaska in August 2025, marking their first direct engagement since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Although the meeting did not yield a formal agreement or ceasefire, both leaders indicated that progress had been achieved on various points, with Trump noting that they reached mutual understanding on key security concerns.

Looking ahead, Trump has signalled that he desires any future interaction with Putin to be centred around the possibility of a peace agreement, rather than just another high-level discussion. This approach illustrates his intention to prioritise tangible outcomes in any potential meetings regarding the resolution of the conflict in Ukraine.