Donald Trump has raised the prospect of directs talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, in what would be the first such encounter in more than three years of war between the two countries.

President Donald Trump says he has begun arrangements for a face-to-face meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss a pathway to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

President Trump is working to coordinate a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which would be the first face-to-face interaction between the two leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine more than three years ago.

President Trump seeks to broker a meeting of the two leaders to end Europe’s most destructive war in generations.

Vladimir Putin appeared with a full face of make-up when he was seen for the first time after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed the Russian leader was "dying"

The Kremlin is keeping its options open, but analysts said the Russian leader would probably only meet with his Ukrainian counterpart to accept a capitulation.

Vladimir Putin has rejected attempts by Volodymyr Zelensky to meet face-to-face for the entirety of the 41-month-old war.

Ukrainian and European leaders are likely to push back hard on Russia’s demands, but risk casting themselves – in the eyes of the White House, at least – as obstacles to peace.