White House Demanded Tough Preconditions on Russia
The drama started with a tough move from the White House: no meeting between Donald Trump and Putin unless Russia’s leader also agreed to talk to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The US administration didn’t just leave it hanging—they gave the Kremlin just 24 hours to respond. That’s a bold message in a world where these requests usually take weeks of quiet back-and-forth. Washington framed this as a non-negotiable line: if Moscow wanted face-time with Trump, they’d need to legitimize Ukraine’s seat at the table. The earliest possible summit was dangled for next week, but the clock was ticking fast for Putin’s answer.
For diplomats in DC and abroad, this sounded like the White House was forcing Russia’s hand, shifting leverage toward Ukraine. Having Zelenskyy in the talks would put Ukrainian interests front and center, aiming to curb any side deals that could leave Kyiv out. Russia, on the other hand, traditionally prefers dealing with the US one-on-one while sidelining Ukraine. No wonder all eyes waited to see Moscow’s reaction.
Trump’s Rapid Reversal and Mixed Messages
That’s when things did a dramatic 180. Just as officials and reporters were digesting the hard stance, Trump himself stepped in front of the cameras. When asked point-blank about the Zelenskyy condition, he didn’t hesitate: “No, he doesn’t.” Gone was the precondition. Trump said both he and Putin wanted to talk, suggesting he’d seize any shot to help end the killing in Ukraine. It was a clear break from his own team’s insistence just hours earlier.
The twist left everyone scrambling. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, earlier in the day, had repeated that including Zelenskyy was still Trump’s preference. But after Trump’s statements, senior US officials quietly confirmed to ABC News that the administration is weighing the value of going ahead with a one-on-one summit if they think it might deliver real concessions from Moscow. For now, the door is wide open to a Trump-Putin meeting—even if Ukraine's president isn’t asked to join.
This sudden flip-flop raised alarm bells among national security experts. Many worry that abandoning the Zelenskyy requirement hands Putin leverage before anyone even sits at the table. Initial plans for a three-way talk gave Ukraine a guaranteed voice in shaping any peace plan. Dropping this could let Russia frame the talks and pursue its agenda with less pushback, some analysts warn.
Despite all the noise, both the US and Russia say they agree in principle on a summit to seek ways out of the Ukraine war. The details—where, when, and exactly what’s on the agenda—are still being hammered out by both sides. Until then, the biggest question is whether Ukraine will be there in person, or just as a talking point from a distance.
