The Two-Week Question: Can the US Deliver a Putin-Zelenskyy Summit?

The Trump administration has set an ambitious two-week deadline for a historic meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The White House is confidently pushing this timeline, but questions remain about whether it can overcome diplomatic hurdles, particularly Russia’s more cautious approach.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was unequivocal when asked if Putin had agreed to meet within the next two weeks, replying with a simple “He has.” This assertion is based on a phone call between President Trump and Putin. The U.S. is now reportedly in constant contact with both Moscow and Kyiv to arrange the logistics for what it hopes will be a war-ending summit.
However, Moscow has not publicly echoed this sense of urgency. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s comment that such a meeting “must be prepared with utmost thoroughness” is being widely interpreted as a signal that Russia will not be rushed. This contrast between the American declaration and the Russian reservation is the central drama of the current diplomatic effort.
While the timeline is debated, the stakes are clear. President Zelenskyy is prepared to negotiate directly with Putin over territory, the conflict’s most intractable issue. In parallel, allies are discussing security guarantees for Ukraine. The U.S. has offered a glimpse of its potential role, ruling out ground forces but keeping the option of air support on the table.