Washington, July 7 (SANA)U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that a settlement to the war between Russia and Ukraine is “closer than people think,” expressing optimism that diplomatic efforts could gain momentum during the upcomingNATO summit in Turkey.Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to end the conflict and noted that the two leaders had discussed the issue during what he described as a “good” phone call over the U.S. Independence Day holiday.“I think it’s closer than people think. President Vladimir Putin wants to end it, I can tell you that with certainty,” Trump said.He added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also wants the war to end.“We’ll go to the NATO summit, we’ll talk about it, and I think we’re going to get it done. I think we’re going to end it. It’s a horrible situation,” Trump said.According to Reuters, Zelensky told the Financial Times that he believes Trump is viewing the conflict from “a new perspective” following Ukraine’s recent military gains.Trump is scheduled to meet Zelensky on Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara. A U.S. official said the meeting is intended to inject fresh momentum into efforts to end the war, adding that Trump is also expected to hold talks with Putin after meeting the Ukrainian president.The Kremlin said Trump and Putin discussed prospects for a settlement during a phone call on Saturday that lasted more than an hour.Last month, Zelensky said he had proposed holding a meeting with Putin in the United States during a telephone conversation with Trump.