In the Oval Office, Trump brandished a photograph he said Vladimir Putin sent him after their summit in Alaska and said he would sign it for the Russian leader.

Republican lawmakers have been overwhelmingly complimentary of President Donald Trump meeting with Vladimir Putin and attempting to put the Russian leader in a room with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Despite Russia being banned from FIFA competitions, Trump said he thinks Putin will attend the 2026 World Cup.

Former NBC host Chuck Todd argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin made a "huge miscalculation" by not giving President Donald Trump a win during the Alaska peace summit.

Despite Trump's positivity, the meeting is far from guaranteed. Putin has repeatedly refused to meet with Zelenskyy during the conflict, having consistently sought to undermine the Ukrainian president's legitimacy. Russian officials rarely use Zelenskyy's name, preferring to refer to "the Kyiv regime."

Geneva, Istanbul and Budapest have been put forward as potential locations - but bilateral talks still remain a long way off.

Usha Vance called Melania Trump a "role model" Thursday for caring about children's welfare, referencing Mrs. Trump's letter to Vladimir Putin about protecting future generations.

Russia's leader said he was "confident that the leadership qualities" of Trump are a "good guarantee" of future agreements between global superpowers.