US President Donald Trump says Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to meet, and he expresses optimism about the possibility of a Ukraine peace deal. Trump makes the remarks during the 81st United Nations General Assembly, in a setting that also includes President Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to Reuters, cited by one outlet, Trump frames the prospect of talks as a step toward ending the war and indicates that Putin would be open to meeting. Another outlet reports that Trump links this stance to what he describes as growing diplomatic momentum, emphasizing Washington’s recent efforts to broker an end to Russia’s war. Both accounts attribute Trump’s optimism to his expectation that negotiations could advance.

Across the two sources, the core points align: Trump publicly expresses hope for a peace deal, he says Putin is willing to meet, and the remarks occur at the UNGA during or alongside meetings involving Zelensky. The outlets differ mainly in how they characterize the broader diplomatic context, but neither provides new details on specific terms or timelines for any deal.