White House pressing toward Putin-Zelensky bilateral despite Kremlin’s silence

Published August 19, 2025 3:09pm ET



The White House confirmed that talks for a bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are “underway” even as the Kremlin stays mum on its diplomatic plans.

“Both leaders have expressed a willingness to sit down with each other, and so our national security team will help both countries do that,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at Tuesday’s White House briefing.

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