U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday that preparations are underway for a potential summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, raising hopes for a peace breakthrough in the war that began with Russia’s 2022 invasion.

The announcement came after Trump hosted Zelensky and European leaders at the White House, where talks centered on Kyiv’s demand for security guarantees. During the meeting, Trump called Putin, who expressed readiness to meet his Ukrainian counterpart.

If realized, it would mark the first direct encounter between Putin and Zelensky since the war began, followed by a planned trilateral summit with Trump.