President-elect Donald Trump announced late Thursday that he is prepared to engage in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with arrangements currently underway. However, Trump did not specify a timeline for the potential meeting. Speaking to a reporter during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump stated, “He wants to meet, and we are setting it up.” Trump also acknowledged Putin’s public expression of interest in meeting, emphasizing the urgency of resolving ongoing conflicts, referring to Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a “bloody mess” that needs to be addressed promptly.
The Kremlin responded on Friday, indicating its openness to a meeting between Trump and Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Peskov remarked during a press conference that if there is a willingness to resume high-level contacts following Trump’s inauguration, President Putin would welcome such discussions. The statement from the Kremlin was reported by state media, and there was no immediate reaction from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s administration.
In contrast to the current U.S. stance under President Joe Biden, who has pledged significant aid and military support to Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Trump’s imminent return to the White House has prompted speculation about a potential diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has persisted for nearly three years. However, concerns have been raised that any peace agreement negotiated by Trump could come at a substantial cost to Ukraine.
Trump has expressed reservations about the continuation of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, and some of his advisors, including Keith Kellogg, whom he has nominated to serve as his special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, have floated proposals that could potentially entail significant territorial concessions by Ukraine to Russia, in a bid to bring an end to the conflict.
Highlighting his perceived rapport with Putin, Trump has repeatedly emphasized the potential for their relationship to facilitate a swift resolution to the conflict in Ukraine. While Trump previously claimed that the conflict could be resolved “in 24 hours,” he recently adjusted his timeline, suggesting that achieving peace within six months might be a more realistic goal. When questioned by reporters, Trump expressed his desire to expedite the process even further, stating, “I hope to have six months. I hope long before six months.”
Throughout his first term, Trump and Putin held discussions on at least five occasions at various summits, underscoring the significance of their personal relationship in shaping diplomatic relations between the two nations. As discussions regarding a potential meeting between Trump and Putin progress, the international community closely watches for developments that could impact the trajectory of the conflict in Ukraine and broader U.S.-Russia relations.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY and reflects the latest developments in the ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding the conflict in Ukraine and the potential for a high-level meeting between President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
