US President Donald Trump said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ending the war in Ukraine after a conversation on Thursday.
No date for the meeting was provided, but Trump said in a social media post he believed "great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation."
Trump was due to meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday at the White House.
“I believe great progress was made with today’s telephone conversation,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
The two presidents also agreed to convene their high-level advisors next week to continue discussions before they meet.
Trump declared that the US delegation will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with other officials to be named.
Trump said that Putin congratulated the United States on the recent “great accomplishment of peace in the Middle East,” referring to the Gaza ceasefire.
Trump expressed hope that this success in the Middle East could pave the way for positive developments in negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Trade relations between the US and Russia post-Ukraine war were also discussed during the call.
Both leaders discussed plans for future cooperation once the war concludes.
In addition, Trump said he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday to discuss the phone call with Putin and other matters.
Tomahawk missiles
Trump is considering a request from Ukraine for American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of around 1,600 kilometres and could strike deep into Russia.
During Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump at the White House on Friday, "the main topic of discussion is Tomahawks," a senior Ukrainian official told AFP on Thursday
Trump had warned at the weekend that he would likely raise the issue first with Putin, who has warned that the supply of Tomahawks would be a "whole new level of escalation".
Trump added on Wednesday that the Ukrainians "want to go offensive" and that they would discuss Kiev's request for the cruise missiles.
The US leader has said he wants to up the pressure on Moscow for a peace deal.
Relations between Trump and Zelenskyy have meanwhile warmed since February, when they sparred during a now-infamous televised meeting at the White House in which the US leader told his Ukrainian counterpart, "You don't have the cards."
Previously, Tomahawks have primarily been fired from sea-based launchers, like warships or submarines, but the Ukrainian source told AFP that "there is a technical solution in place for the launch platform."
Senior Ukrainian officials visiting Washington this week met with representatives of US weapon manufacturers, including Raytheon, which produces Tomahawk missiles.
Zelenskyy will also meet with arms makers to discuss when deliveries could begin, "but they need a political signal," the Ukrainian source added.
