
Kremlin.ru Presidential Press and Information Office
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as viable options for a summit between U.S President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin according to Russian sources. Trump has articulated his desire to bring an end to the conflict in Ukraine as soon as feasible and has shown readiness to meet with Putin. Putin, in turn, congratulated Trump on his election and expressed his willingness to discuss issues related to Ukraine and energy. Nevertheless, Russian officials have consistently denied any direct engagement with the U.S. regarding the organization of a phone call between Trump and Putin, which would serve as a precursor to a potential meeting later this year.
Recently, high-ranking Russian officials have made visits to both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as reported by Russian sources who requested anonymity due to the delicate nature of the circumstances.
One source indicated that there remains a degree of resistance to this notion within Russia, as certain diplomats and intelligence personnel are highlighting the strong military and security ties that both the Kingdom and the UAE maintain with the United States. Requests for comments from Saudi Arabia and the UAE went unanswered, and the Kremlin also refrained from providing any remarks. Nevertheless, both Trump and Putin have fostered amicable relations with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
On Sunday, Trump announced that his administration had arranged “meetings and talks scheduled with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia.” In response to these statements, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that such contacts were “apparently planned.”
Following his inauguration, Trump made his first call to a foreign leader to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. During a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, he referred to the Crown Prince as “a fantastic guy.”
In September 2023, Putin, who had visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE, expressed his gratitude to Mohammed bin Salman for facilitating the largest U.S.-Russian prisoner exchange since the Cold War.