The White House has started a diplomatic countdown, setting a two-week target for a face-to-face meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This ambitious timeline is a central feature of the new U.S. push to end the war.
The clock started ticking after the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed that Putin had agreed to the two-week timeframe in a call with President Donald Trump. “He has,” she stated, leaving no room for ambiguity in the U.S. position. The administration is now racing against its own deadline to arrange the summit.
However, it is unclear if Moscow is watching the same clock. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s comments about the need for “utmost thoroughness” suggest a more leisurely pace. This difference in timing is the primary source of tension in the current diplomatic effort.
As the two-week window progresses, preparations are moving forward on other fronts. President Zelenskyy is readying his arguments for the territorial discussion with Putin. In parallel, NATO allies are continuing their work on a framework for security guarantees for Ukraine.