Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Sep 3: US President Donald Trump has said he is willing to hold another summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but only when Moscow is prepared to work towards a peace deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said he wanted to meet Putin at the appropriate time and stressed that maintaining good relations with Russia and Ukraine would be beneficial for the United States.

"He'd do it. I want it, but I want to do it when we're ready to do a peace deal," Trump said, adding that improved relations could also be good for business.

Trump also claimed that the Russia-Ukraine conflict would not have occurred if he had remained in office after the 2020 presidential election. Referring to his first presidency from 2016 to 2020, he said he had maintained communication with Putin and believed there had been "zero chance" of a war during that period.

The US president also pointed to the strained relationship between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying there was currently "tremendous animosity" between the two leaders.

Trump and Putin met in Alaska in August 2025 for a summit that both sides described as positive. Putin subsequently invited Trump to Moscow for another meeting, but no further summit has taken place so far.

Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian forces have continued attacks against each other, while Zelenskyy has sought greater support from European allies. Reports of a possible Russian attack on a NATO member have also surfaced, though both Trump and the Kremlin have dismissed such claims as false.