If the meeting goes ahead as President Trump described, it will be the first in-person summit between an American and Russian president in more than four years.

The New York Times reported that Trump told European leaders during a call on Wednesday that he intended to meet with Putin and then follow up with a trilateral involving the Russian leader and Mr Zelensky. “There’s a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon,” Trump told reporters.

A meeting between Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin could take place as early as next week, a top Kremlin aide said Thursday, as the US president’s deadline for Moscow to show progress in ending its war in Ukraine looms.