The Kremlin says US President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin could meet “in the coming days,” in what would be their first face-to-face talks since 2019.
Speaking in Moscow on Thursday, Mr Putin suggested the United Arab Emirates as a possible host, standing alongside UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He praised the Gulf nation as a “friend” willing to help arrange the talks.
The planned meeting, centred on Ukraine, comes amid faltering peace efforts. Three rounds of direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv have failed to yield progress, and the war—now in its fourth year—shows little sign of ending.
“Both sides showed interest,” Mr Putin told reporters. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov added that next week had been “set as a target date” and that the venue had been agreed “in principle.” But Washington struck a more cautious note, saying “no location has been determined” and the meeting could take place “as early as next week.”
The last time a sitting US and Russian president met was in Geneva in 2021, when Joe Biden faced Mr Putin. For Mr Trump, this would be a return to personal diplomacy after his first stint in the White House.
Mr Trump has said he wants to bring the war to an end, but Mr Putin has so far resisted calls for a ceasefire. Russian demands remain steep, including Kyiv giving up some territory and renouncing Western military support.
A proposal for a three-way meeting involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been floated by US envoy Steve Witkoff, but Mr Putin signalled it was unlikely for now. “It is possible, but certain conditions must be created,” he said. “Unfortunately, we are still far from creating such conditions.”
Mr Zelensky, speaking on Thursday, renewed his call for direct talks with Mr Putin. He also pressed for Europe to be part of any negotiations. “The war is happening in Europe, and Ukraine is an integral part of Europe,” he wrote on social media.
Later, Mr Zelensky held calls with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, saying European voices must be included in shaping peace. He also convened an online meeting of Ukrainian, European, and US security advisers to align positions.
“Ukraine is not afraid of meetings and expects the same brave approach from the Russian side,” Mr Zelensky said. “It is time we ended the war.”
For now, the world is watching to see whether Trump and Putin’s long-anticipated encounter can break the deadlock—or simply add another chapter to a drawn-out conflict that has already cost tens of thousands of lives
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