Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin to end the war after Donald Trump's special envoy held talks with the Russian leader in Moscow.

A day earlier, Trump described talks between his envoy Steve Whitford and Putin as "very productive," but US officials still promised to impose sanctions on Moscow's trading partners.

Zelensky later said he had spoken on the phone with Trump, who said he could meet with Putin "very soon," and that European leaders had participated in the conversation, AFP reported.

"We in Ukraine have repeatedly stated that finding real solutions can be truly effective at the leadership level," Zelensky wrote on social media.

"It is necessary to determine the timing for such a format and the range of issues to be discussed," he added.

The Ukrainian leader said he planned to hold "several" talks during the day, including with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as well as with French and Italian representatives.

"There will also be communication at the level of national security advisers," Zelensky added.

"The main thing is that Russia, which started this war, takes real steps to end the aggression," he concluded. | BGNES