US President Donald Trump stated that he expects to meet soon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He announced this to journalists on the morning of October 28 while commenting on the progress of the diplomatic process surrounding the war in Ukraine. According to him, «significant progress» has been achieved in relations between Washington and Moscow in the context of a Ukrainian settlement.

Trump's Statement on «Significant Progress»

Speaking to reporters, the American leader stated: «And, I think we have significant progress in relations with Russia — in the context of Russia and Ukraine. A meeting will take place soon, and in my opinion, significant progress will be achieved.» When asked by a media representative to clarify which specific meeting he was referring to, Trump replied that it is a meeting with President Putin and President Zelensky, and reiterated his belief that significant progress will be made. Specific dates and locations for the leaders' summit were not named in this statement.

Context: Telephone Contacts Ahead of Time

Trump's statement came against the backdrop of active diplomatic engagement the day before. On October 27, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store held a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin regarding the end of the war against Ukraine. Afterwards, they also contacted Volodymyr Zelensky. One of the topics of these contacts was upcoming negotiations involving Ukraine, the US, and Russia.

Trilateral Technical-Level Negotiations

As previously reported, trilateral technical-level negotiations are planned to be held in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. The agreement to resume them was announced following preliminary diplomatic contacts. According to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, trilateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and the US in the United Arab Emirates are tentatively scheduled for November 4, although final confirmation of the date from all participants had not been received at the time of Trump's statement.

What is Known About the Date and Location of the Leaders' Summit

It is important to emphasize that Trump's announcement does not mean the meeting at the head-of-state level has been finally agreed upon: there is no specific date for the summit in his statement. At the time of publication, the Kremlin had also not announced the dates for the new round of Russia-US-Ukraine peace settlement talks; according to Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, information regarding the date of the meeting will be provided in a timely manner. Thus, at present, only the intended nature of the contacts and the expectation of a meeting are confirmed, rather than its fixed date or venue.

Expectations and Positions of the Parties

The totality of statements indicates that the diplomatic track between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv is intensifying: first at the technical level in the UAE, and then, according to the American side's expectations, at the leadership level. At the same time, none of the parties has confirmed the final date and format of the heads of state meeting, leaving room for further coordination. Observers are left to monitor the reactions of the Kremlin and Zelensky's office, as well as the confirmation of the dates for the technical talks in Abu Dhabi.