Trump affirms he will meet with Putin immediately
Date
1/26/2025 4:26:25 AM
(MENAFN) US President Donald trump has expressed his readiness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as possible to negotiate an end to the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Trump, who assumed office on Monday, has reiterated his commitment to quickly broker a settlement between Russia and Ukraine.
"From what I hear, Putin would like to see me, and we’ll leave as soon as we can. I’d meet immediately," Trump said during a press briefing at the White House on Thursday. He emphasized that every day without a meeting results in more casualties on the battlefield.
The Kremlin has previously stated its openness to talks, though Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, clarified this week that no phone call between Putin and Trump was currently planned.
Trump has reportedly tasked his Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, with securing a settlement within 100 days. On Wednesday, Trump also threatened new sanctions against Russia if Putin refuses to accept an unspecified "deal" to end the conflict.
Peskov acknowledged that such discussions occurred during Trump’s first term, but emphasized that the Kremlin had not received any new signals regarding a potential dialogue. Russia insists that Ukraine must abandon its NATO membership aspirations and recognize Russia’s claims to Crimea and other regions that have voted to join Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to Bloomberg, stressed that communication with Ukraine should be a "priority" for the Trump administration, and indicated openness to negotiations if Trump can offer solid “security guarantees” for Ukraine.
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