The US president has expressed willingness for dialogue with Moscow and a desire to end the Ukraine conflict
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been identified as potential venues for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported on Monday, siting sources familiar with the discussions. This development follows Trump’s recent statements expressing his intent to swiftly end the Ukraine conflict and his readiness to meet with Putin.
While no direct contacts between the US and Russia regarding the summit have been confirmed, senior Russian officials have recently visited both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, according to Reuters. Both Middle Eastern nations have maintained neutrality throughout the Ukraine conflict, engaging in dialogue with both the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Their neutral stance and established relationships with both Trump and Putin make them suitable candidates for hosting the summit, the outlet reports.
The selection of these venues is also reportedly influenced by the current geopolitical landscape, with traditional Western venues deemed unsuitable due to their involvement in supporting Ukraine.
Both Trump and Putin have been cultivating good relations with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was the first foreign head of state Trump called after taking office. During a speech last month via video link to an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump described the crown prince as “a fantastic guy.”
Last September, Putin expressed gratitude to bin Salman for facilitating the largest US-Russian prisoner swap since the Cold War. “We are grateful to him, because this resulted in the return of our citizens to their homeland,” he said at the time.
Washington and Moscow have not commented on the potential meeting between the US and Russian leaders. In a recent statement, Trump announced that his administration had “meetings and talks scheduled with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia.”
Russian officials have said they are open to talks with the US on the Ukraine conflict, but stressed that no substantial agreements on discussions have been reached.
