WASHINGTON D.C Aug 29, 2026 – The United States has floated the idea of a three-way meeting between President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as part of renewed efforts to end the war in Ukraine, according to a report by Axios.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe raised the proposal during a covert trip to Moscow earlier this week, two sources briefed on the matter told Axios. The visit marked Ratcliffe’s first personal involvement in the Trump administration’s diplomatic push to break the deadlock between Russia and Ukraine.
Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow on Tuesday and met with his Russian counterparts: SVR foreign intelligence chief Sergey Naryshkin and FSB director Alexander Bortnikov. The trip was partly aimed at determining whether Russia’s intelligence leadership could help persuade Putin to resume U.S.-mediated negotiations with Ukraine.
U.S. officials briefed Zelensky on Friday about Ratcliffe’s talks and the idea of a trilateral summit. The Trump administration has previously raised the possibility of such a meeting. Zelensky has been supportive of the concept, while Putin has rejected it in the past.
President Trump described Ratcliffe’s visit as “standard business” and said it was not intended as a warning to Russia against attacking NATO territory. The CIA declined to comment.
The New York Times separately reported that Ratcliffe gave Bortnikov a bleak assessment of the war’s trajectory and urged Russia to reach a deal before its position deteriorates further. Sources told Axios that Ratcliffe viewed Bortnikov as a constructive interlocutor who could help restart diplomatic efforts.
Peace talks mediated by the United States were paused in mid-February after the outbreak of war with Iran. White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have since held separate discussions with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators, but progress has been limited. Zelensky’s chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov, said U.S.-mediated talks with Russia could resume in September.
Zelensky thanked the United States on Friday for “the necessary tone of the conversation with Russia” and said the Trump administration “is advancing a realistic vision of what needs to be done and what must be achieved.” Ukrainian officials, however, remain skeptical of Putin’s intentions. Zelensky’s deputy chief of staff, Pavlo Palisa, said Putin has ordered the military to prepare several operational scenarios for an offensive in northern Ukraine, with Kyiv and Chernihiv identified as key areas.
The proposal comes amid continued fighting and Ukrainian concerns that Russia may be preparing a major escalation even as Washington seeks a diplomatic opening. No immediate public response from the Kremlin or confirmation of a summit date has been reported.
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