Trump to meet Putin as early as next week

US president then plans to bring Volodymyr Zelensky into three-way Ukraine peace talks

- 

Donald Trump told allies that he planned to meet Vladimir Putin next week, followed by a three-way meeting that would include Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president.

The announcement has raised hopes that an end to the conflict could be in sight after more than three years of intense fighting.

After speaking by phone to the American president, Mr Zelensky said he believed Russia was "now more inclined to a ceasefire". The positive signs came during a day of intense diplomatic activity.Mr Trump's special envoy met in Moscow with Putin, the Russian president, for three hours.

At the same time, Mr Trump intensified his pressure on Moscow with fresh sanctions and declared Russia to be an "extraordinary threat" to the United States. Mr Trump said he would hit India with a further 25 per cent trade tariff over its purchase of Russian oil, a vital source of income for the Kremlin.

In a call with European leaders, Mr Trump set out his plan to meet with Putin as soon as next week, according to The New York Times. The first meeting would include only Putin and Mr Trump, followed by sessions with Mr Zelensky, and would not include any of their European counterparts.