Former US President-elect Donald Trump said on 9 January that preparations are underway for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though no specific timeline was provided, according to Reuters and Bloomberg.
“He wants to meet, and we are setting it up,” Trump said during a gathering with Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump indicated that any such meeting would take place after his inauguration on 20 January.
The potential meeting comes amid discussions about the war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Trump claimed during his presidential campaign about his desire to resolve the war, saying “we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Putin’s openness to dialogue but noted there were “no specifics” regarding meeting arrangements.
“We see that Mr. Trump also declares his readiness to solve problems through dialogue. We welcome this,” Peskov said, according to Interfax news agency.
The prospect of negotiations has sparked mixed reactions. While it raises possibilities for diplomatic resolution, concerns have emerged in Kyiv about potential concessions. Trump advisers have suggested proposals that would involve ceding significant Ukrainian territory to Russia.
The two leaders previously met in Helsinki in 2018 during Trump’s first term, where Trump’s positive response to Putin’s offer regarding election meddling investigations drew attention.
Despite this, Trump’s administration implemented increased sanctions on Russia and expelled diplomats during his presidency.
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