In the Oval Office, Trump brandished a photograph he said Vladimir Putin sent him after their summit in Alaska and said he would sign it for the Russian leader.

Usha Vance called Melania Trump a "role model" Thursday for caring about children's welfare, referencing Mrs. Trump's letter to Vladimir Putin about protecting future generations.

Despite Russia being banned from FIFA competitions, Trump said he thinks Putin will attend the 2026 World Cup.

President Trump said in a social media post Monday that he had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin and set in motion arrangements for a summit at a location to be decided.

Despite Trump's positivity, the meeting is far from guaranteed. Putin has repeatedly refused to meet with Zelenskyy during the conflict, having consistently sought to undermine the Ukrainian president's legitimacy. Russian officials rarely use Zelenskyy's name, preferring to refer to "the Kyiv regime."

Former NBC host Chuck Todd argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin made a "huge miscalculation" by not giving President Donald Trump a win during the Alaska peace summit.

Ukraine's president told reporters in Kyiv he wanted to "have an understanding" of the protections his allies are willing to offer within seven to 10 days.

MOSCOW (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that there was "light at the end of the tunnel" in Russia-U.S. relations and that the two countries were discussing joint projects in the Arctic and Alaska.