Trump claims private meeting with Putin envoy as Ukraine deal looms

President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that he held a private meeting with Kirill Dmitriev, the envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump did not reveal the specific topics of their conversation but asserted that a resolution to the war in Ukraine is imminent. He told reporters at the White House that the upcoming accord would be a "big, beautiful agreement" that could extend beyond Ukraine to involve all of Europe. "Everyone's going to be thrilled," he said.

The meeting occurred shortly after Dmitriev appeared at a White House event organized by First Lady Melania Trump. The gathering marked a rare instance of direct face-to-face contact between Russian and Ukrainian representatives. Ukrainian lawmaker David Arakhamia and human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets also attended the event. Both delegations presented the first lady with gifts to honor her role in a recent six-day ceasefire in the Russian-controlled city of Oleshky, a deal that expired on Sunday.

Melania Trump, who was not present when the president spoke to the press, said she was involved in every stage of planning the Oleshky ceasefire. She described reviewing aerial images and assessing roadways and hospital access. "We have chosen humanity over war," she told the delegates. The Ukrainian delegation presented her with a state award for returning Ukrainian children, while Dmitriev gave her a drawing of pink hearts from a girl in Oleshky. Trump handed both delegations letters addressed to Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Jared Kushner, a senior advisor to the president, provided details on parallel diplomatic efforts. He said US officials in Brussels held "productive and substantive discussions" with Ukraine, NATO, and European partners on security guarantees. Kushner outlined five goals for these negotiations, including permanent security consultations and greater military transparency. He emphasized that any arrangement must respect the sovereignty of every nation and that NATO would remain central to European defense.

The diplomatic activity comes ahead of scheduled mediation talks in Abu Dhabi. A US delegation is set to meet with representatives from Russia and Ukraine from November 10 to 11. This follows Tuesday's midterm elections, in which Democrats reclaimed control of Congress. The new Democratic majority is expected to scrutinize the administration's approach to Russia, including recent diesel deals and eased sanctions. The Kremlin stated its hope that Trump will continue his peacemaking efforts despite the Republican defeat.

The Kremlin also announced preparations for a meeting between Putin, Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen this month. Dmitriev, who has facilitated the release of American detainees and the reunification of families, previously met with special envoy Steve Witkoff in 2025. Trump, who did not attend the White House event, has frequently predicted an end to the conflict and recently increased his criticism of Zelenskiy.