White House announces 'lineup' to promote Putin - Zelensky meeting
Top US officials including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff will be the ones to arrange the Putin - Zelensky summit.
According to The Hill newspaper, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on August 19 that the US is seeing a "real opportunity" to reach a peaceful solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Washington will promote negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
"Before Trump returned to the White House, there was no sign that the fighting in Ukraine would stop. But now we have a real chance for a lasting peace. The talks between Putin and Zelensky are seen as the next phase of the peace process," Ms. Leavitt said.
Also according to the White House spokesman, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff will be the US officials leading efforts to promote negotiations between the two heads of state of Russia and Ukraine.
"President Trump spoke by phone with President Putin and he agreed to begin the next phase of the negotiation process," Ms. Leavitt added.
In an interview on August 19, Mr. Trump expressed his hope that Mr. Zelensky "will show flexibility and do what is necessary" to reach a peace agreement with Russia.
The exact date and location for the Putin-Zelensky meeting have not been announced, but Switzerland and Hungary have emerged as potential options.
