US President Donald Trump has said he is open to holding another summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but stressed that such a meeting should take place only when Moscow is prepared to work toward a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said he believed Putin would be willing to meet again, but indicated that he did not want another summit simply for diplomatic engagement. “I want it, but I want to do it when we’re ready to do a peace deal,” Trump said, according to reports.
Trump’s remarks come as diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war remain stalled. Russia and Ukraine continue to maintain sharply different positions, while military strikes and long-range attacks have continued. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on September 3 that there was still potential for a peace agreement, while emphasizing that any settlement ultimately requires agreement from both Russia and Ukraine.
The latest comments also follow Moscow’s position that a high-level summit should be focused on finalising agreements rather than simply discussing possible settlement terms. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently said a meeting of Putin, Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be meaningful only if it were aimed at completing a settlement.
Trump and Putin previously met in Alaska in August 2025 for discussions focused on the Ukraine conflict. A new meeting between the two leaders could therefore become an important diplomatic development if Washington and Moscow succeed in narrowing their differences.
However, major obstacles remain. Russia and Ukraine continue to disagree over territorial issues, security arrangements and the conditions for ending hostilities. Ukraine has also continued military pressure on Russian positions and infrastructure, while Moscow has maintained its own demands for a settlement. Recent developments indicate that, despite renewed diplomatic contacts, a comprehensive peace agreement remains difficult to achieve.
Trump’s latest statement suggests that Washington is keeping the possibility of another Trump-Putin summit open, but the timing will depend heavily on whether Moscow is prepared to move toward a negotiated settlement. For now, the prospect of another summit remains conditional rather than confirmed.