Florida, USA—Former President Donald Trump, now President-elect, has confirmed that plans are underway to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Trump did not specify a timeline for the potential talks.
“He wants to meet, and we are setting it up,” Trump said during a speech at his Mar-a-Lago estate, according to BBC reports.
While Trump asserts Putin’s willingness to engage, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, as cited by Russian news agency Tass, indicated that the United States has yet to submit a formal meeting request.
Trump, set to take office on January 20, has vowed to negotiate an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine, expressing doubt about the current level of U.S. military and financial aid to Kyiv.
“President Putin wants to meet,” Trump reiterated on Thursday, adding, “He has even said so publicly, and we have to get that war over with. It’s a bloody mess.”
In preparation for his second term, Trump has nominated Keith Kellogg, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and former national security adviser, to serve as special envoy to Ukraine and Russia.
Kellogg’s strategy for ending the conflict, outlined in an April 2024 paper for the America First Policy Institute, advocates for U.S. aid to Ukraine contingent on its willingness to enter peace talks with Moscow.
The proposal also calls for continued aid if Russia refuses to negotiate.
Following Trump’s election in November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced cautious optimism, suggesting that Trump’s return to office could hasten the war’s conclusion.
In a phone call with Trump, Zelensky described a “constructive exchange” but did not disclose any specific demands regarding peace negotiations.
As the world watches, Trump’s evolving relationship with Putin and his approach to the Ukraine conflict are poised to shape global diplomatic dynamics in the coming months.
