• Trump was caught on a hot mic stating Putin wants to "make a deal for me."
• Emmanuel Macron expressed skepticism about Putin's intentions for peace.
• John Bolton commented on Trump's need for a peace deal to gain recognition.
• Trump plans to facilitate a trilateral meeting involving Zelensky and Putin.
• The discussion follows a multilateral meeting with European leaders supporting Ukraine.

During a closed-door meeting at the White House, President Trump was caught on a hot mic saying to French President Emmanuel Macron, "I think [Putin] wants to make a deal for me. Do you understand? As crazy as it sounds," revealing his belief in a potential diplomatic resolution regarding Ukraine and suggesting that Putin might be open to negotiations, according to Indiatimes and The Hill.

Macron reacted positively to Trump's optimism but expressed skepticism about Putin's willingness to cease hostilities. "As far as I’m concerned... I don’t see President Putin really willing to get peace now," Macron remarked, highlighting the ongoing conflict and the need for increased pressure on Russia, according to HuffPost.

Furthermore, former National Security Adviser John Bolton weighed in on Trump's comments, interpreting them as indicative of how Putin may be attempting to appeal to Trump’s desire for a Nobel Peace Prize. Bolton commented, "It's Putin saying... 'Look, I can help you out here, Donald. You deserve the Nobel Peace Prize if you can bring peace here,'" highlighting the complexities of the situation and expressing doubt about a swift peace deal, according to The Hill.

Trump's comments come ahead of a trilateral meeting he plans to facilitate between Ukrainian President Zelensky and Putin, aiming to advance discussions on peace. He emphasized his enthusiasm for such talks, having previously met with both leaders and indicating that the conditions for a deal were being laid out, according to Indiatimes and The Hill.