Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are being considered as possible venues for a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, two Russian sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters. Trump has expressed his intention to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible and has signaled his willingness to meet with Putin. The Russian president, in turn, congratulated Trump on his election victory and stated his readiness to discuss Ukraine and energy matters. While Russian officials have denied direct contact with the U.S. regarding a preparatory phone call between Trump and Putin, which would likely precede an eventual summit later this year, sources indicate that senior Russian officials have recently visited both Saudi Arabia and the UAE. These visits suggest ongoing discussions about a potential high-level meeting. On Sunday, Trump stated that his administration had "meetings and talks scheduled with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia." When asked about these remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that such contacts were "apparently planned." Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was the first foreign leader Trump called upon taking office, and the U.S. president has previously described him as "a fantastic guy" during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Putin, who visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE in 2023, has also expressed appreciation for the Gulf nations' role in diplomacy, particularly for their involvement in facilitating the largest U.S.-Russian prisoner exchange since the Cold War. — Agencies
