WAR IN UKRAINE

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin even if the Russian leader won't meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump, when asked by a reporter if Putin would need to meet with Zelenskyy in order to secure a meeting with the U.S., said: "No, he doesn't. No." His comments followed Putin's remarks earlier in the day that he hoped to meet with Trump next week, possibly in the United Arab Emirates. The White House was still working through the details of any potential meetings, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Putin's announcement came on the eve of a White House deadline for Moscow to show progress toward ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine or suffer additional economic sanctions.

When ask

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