'He may meet next week. ... Whenever he would like. I'm here'
Trump says he'll speak to Zelenskyy, Putin about ending war
President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters while meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House.
President Donald Trump may soon meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"He may meet next week, yeah. Whenever he would like. I’m here," Trump told reporters while hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday.
Trump said that the meeting likely would be held in Washington, D.C., because he wouldn’t go to Ukraine.
Trump also said there was a possibility he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that the two have always had a "very good relationship."
TRUMP AND ‘NO ONE ELSE’ CAN END THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR, US ALLY SAYS
President Donand Trump said he likely would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington, as he wouldn't be going to Ukraine. (Efrem Lukatsky/The Associated Press)
"That’s why it is so sad that this happened," Trump said, appearing to reference Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. "This never would have happened if I were president."
Trump, who met with Zelenskyy in New York in September 2024, urged Putin to cease the war — or face sanctions — in a post on Truth Social on Jan. 22.
"Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE," Trump said. If we don't make a 'deal', and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said he backed issuing harsher sanctions on Russia during his confirmation hearing Jan. 16 to expedite the end of the war.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he backed issuing harsher sanctions on Russia during his confirmation hearing Jan. 16. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
According to retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Trump is the only person that could end the conflict.
"The only person that Putin will really want to talk to — because he’s kind of denigrated other leaders that are out there — is President Trump, and President Trump’s the only one who can bring this to a conclusion," Kellogg told "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.
