UNITED NATIONS (BN24) — Russia’s deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy indicated Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin may meet with U.S. President Donald Trump next week, though he said he was not aware of any planned meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Polyanskiy told reporters that while multiple locations have been discussed for a potential Putin-Trump summit, the two leaders have agreed on arrangements they prefer not to disclose publicly. The Russian diplomat suggested the meeting timeline points to next week, based on statements from both presidents.
“As far as I heard, there are a number of locations, but they agreed to something that they don’t want to disclose. The timeline is, I think, next week, but that’s again judging from what presidents said themselves,” Polyanskiy explained during his remarks to reporters.
When asked about potential discussions between Putin and Zelenskiy, the deputy ambassador acknowledged his limited knowledge of such diplomatic arrangements. “I haven’t heard about any meeting planned with President Zelenskiy, but I am not in the loop,” he added.
The potential Trump-Putin meeting would mark the first summit between U.S. and Russian leaders since Putin met with former President Joe Biden in Geneva in June 2021. That meeting occurred months before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which Moscow justified by citing perceived threats to its security.
Ukraine and its Western allies have characterized Russia’s invasion as an imperial-style territorial grab rather than a defensive action. The conflict has continued for nearly three years, fundamentally reshaping European security dynamics and straining international relationships.
Trump had campaigned on promises to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, presenting himself as capable of negotiating a resolution to the conflict. However, almost seven months into his second presidential term, that pledge remains unfulfilled as fighting continues across multiple front lines in Ukraine.
The timing of potential high-level diplomatic engagement comes as the war has reached a relative stalemate, with both sides seeking to strengthen their positions through military and diplomatic means. Any Trump-Putin meeting would likely focus heavily on Ukraine, given the conflict’s central role in current U.S.-Russia tensions.
Polyanskiy’s comments represent the most specific indication yet of concrete planning for a Trump-Putin summit, though the secrecy surrounding location and agenda details reflects the sensitive nature of such diplomatic engagement during an active conflict.
The Russian diplomat also used his media availability to condemn Israeli plans for expanded control over Gaza. “We think that this is a very bad step in an absolutely wrong direction and we condemn this kind of actions,” Polyanskiy stated in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Thursday announcement that Israel intends to take military control of all of Gaza.
Netanyahu’s declaration came despite intensifying global criticism of Israel’s devastating assault on the Palestinian enclave, which has lasted almost two years and caused a severe hunger crisis while killing tens of thousands of civilians.
The potential Putin-Trump meeting would occur against the backdrop of complex international dynamics, with Russia seeking to maintain its position in Ukraine while managing relationships with China and other global powers. Trump’s approach to the conflict has drawn scrutiny from both supporters and critics who question whether meaningful progress is possible given current battlefield realities.
Any diplomatic breakthrough would require addressing fundamental disagreements about Ukraine’s territorial integrity, security guarantees, and the broader European security architecture that has been severely damaged by the ongoing conflict.
