U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly open to participating in high-stakes peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as diplomatic efforts intensify to broker a ceasefire in the ongoing war.

According to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, Trump "is open to it if it comes to that," referring to a proposed summit in Turkey aimed at de-escalating the conflict. The meeting, backed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, would mark the third round of high-level peace discussions and could be held later this month in either Istanbul or Ankara.

While Ukraine has signaled willingness to engage, with President Zelensky emphasizing that “key decisions can only be made at the leaders’ level,” the Kremlin has yet to accept the invitation. President Putin has so far declined to participate.

In recent talks in Istanbul, Ukrainian and Russian delegations failed to reach a breakthrough but did agree on a major prisoner exchange. At least 1,000 young and severely wounded fighters will be returned to their respective sides, along with the bodies of 6,000 fallen soldiers.

Despite this humanitarian progress, a political resolution remains elusive. Ukraine continues to push for an unconditional, full-scale ceasefire. However, Moscow countered with an offer of a temporary, localized truce lasting just two to three days in select frontline zones. Russia also reiterated demands that include Ukraine’s withdrawal from four partially occupied regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—as well as guarantees that Ukraine will not join NATO and an end to Western military support.

Zelensky has urged Trump and Western leaders to impose stronger sanctions on Russia, warning that “the aggressor must not be rewarded for war.”

Ukraine is currently reviewing a new document submitted by Russian negotiators, which outlines terms for a broader peace framework. However, Kyiv maintains that meaningful negotiations can only proceed after a total halt to hostilities across air, land, and sea.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the latest round of discussions as “constructive” and confirmed that preparations are underway for a potential summit involving Trump, Putin, and Zelensky.

The war, now in its third year, has caused massive humanitarian devastation, with tens of thousands killed and millions displaced—creating Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces claimed responsibility for a daring drone strike on Russian airbases this week, reportedly damaging up to 40 strategic bombers valued at approximately $7 billion.