With Trump pushing for peace by June 2026 and discussing trilateral meetings between himself, Zelenskyy and Putin, traders are pricing in the highest odds yet that the two leaders will speak directly. The market surged from 4¢ to 25¢ on massive volume as recent Geneva talks collapsed after just two hours, creating fresh urgency for direct leader dialogue.

The spike reflects mounting pressure from multiple angles. Putin recently suggested he's willing to meet Zelenskyy in a third country "only after a peace treaty is finalised," while Ukraine has formally requested Turkey as a host venue, approaching multiple international capitals to facilitate such a meeting. Despite Trump's repeated promises to clinch a deal, no agreement has materialized from separate talks with Russia, Ukraine and European leaders, making direct leader engagement increasingly likely as diplomatic alternatives narrow.