U.S. President Donald Trump is planning to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person as soon as next week, according to the New York Times, which cited two sources familiar with the plans.
Trump then plans to meet with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the newspaper reported, adding that the plans were disclosed in a call with European leaders on Wednesday.
The White House did not immediately respond to the report, but earlier on Wednesday Trump acknowledged that he spoke with European leaders after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff's "highly productive" meeting with Putin in Russia.
With just days left before U.S. President Donald Trump’s cease-fire deadline for Ukraine, Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for three hours of talks, as Russian strikes intensified across southern Ukraine.
Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, described the meeting as “useful and constructive,” according to Russian state news agency TASS. Ushakov said Moscow received “signals” from Witkoff about Washington’s position on Ukraine and sent messages back to Trump via the envoy.
Neither side disclosed details of the discussions.
Trump also said Wednesday that Witkoff had a "highly productive" meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Great progress was made!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump said he updated some of the European allies.
"Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come," he added.
Witkoff arrived in Moscow earlier Wednesday in his fifth visit to Russia since the start of the year. He last met Putin on April 25.
Witkoff’s trip marks his fifth visit to Russia this year amid limited contact between Washington and Moscow since the start of the war. In July, Trump gave the Kremlin 50 days to end the conflict, later shortening the timeline to this Friday over continued attacks on Ukrainian civilians.
Trump has warned of sweeping sanctions if Moscow fails to comply, including “secondary tariffs” targeting countries that buy Russian energy. On Wednesday, Trump announced tariffs on India would rise to 50% over its purchases of Russian oil, set to take effect in 21 days.
Despite Trump’s threats, it remains unclear how far he will escalate if his ultimatum is ignored, given his often-touted personal rapport with Putin.
Meanwhile, Russian forces escalated strikes across southern Ukraine on Wednesday, targeting critical infrastructure and civilian areas.
Ukrainian officials reported a Russian drone strike on a key gas compressor station in the Odessa region, part of the Trans-Balkan pipeline that carries liquefied natural gas from the U.S. and Azerbaijan through Greece, Bulgaria and Romania to Ukraine.
Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk condemned the attack, saying: “Moscow is using all available means and leverage to destroy Europe’s energy independence.”
In Orlivka, near the Romanian border, drone strikes caused a fire visible from Romania, local media reported. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed attacks on Ukraine’s gas transport system but did not specify locations.
Additional strikes damaged commercial sites and homes in the Dnipropetrovsk region, while Russian drones targeted areas along the southern Danube, Ukrainian officials said.
At least two people were killed and a dozen injured after Russian bombings hit a holiday camp near Zaporizhzhya, damaging several cabins, local officials said.
Overnight, Ukraine launched a retaliatory drone attack on a fuel depot in Russia’s Bryansk region.
Ukraine has relied heavily on gas imports to meet its needs since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
