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.

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."

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.

The president called the meetings with both leaders "very successful," despite failing to reach a ceasefire deal.

Sergey Lavrov told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker in an exclusive interview Friday that the Ukrainian leader had rejected Trump's proposed terms for a deal.

Stephen Kotkin, the pre-eminent historian of Russia, on Moscow’s long record of overreach, Biden’s Ukraine failure, and prospects that Kyiv can ‘win the peace.’