Trump and Putin to meet soon? Peace talks begin as US Secretary of State Lands in Saudi Arabia

US President Donald Trump has hinted that he could meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "very soon," with both US and Russian officials preparing for critical discussions in Saudi Arabia aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump confirmed that while no specific date had been set for a meeting with Putin, it could happen “very soon.” 

He added, “It will happen soon, we’ll see what happens.” This came in response to questions about the possibility of a meeting this month. Trump’s comments have sparked interest ahead of ongoing talks aimed at de-escalating the Ukraine conflict.

As talks begin between US and Russian officials, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday. 

The focus of these talks is to address the nearly three-year-long war in Ukraine. 

Trump had earlier spoken with Putin over the phone last week and instructed his officials to start discussions. 

The US president has promised during his election campaign to bring the war to an end.

Trump, on his flight aboard Air Force One, shared his thoughts with reporters, saying, "They have a great power, you understand that. They defeated Hitler and Napoleon. They’ve been fighting for a long time, they’ve done it before. But I think they want to stop the war.”

When asked whether he believed Putin intended to take full control of Ukraine, Trump revealed that he had asked the Russian president the same question. 

He noted that if that’s indeed Putin’s goal, it would be "a big problem."

During a Sunday briefing, Rubio revealed that in his phone call with Trump, Putin expressed a desire for peace, although he cautioned that the war wouldn’t end overnight. 

He said, “Clearly, this has to be moved forward step by step. So, the next few weeks and days will determine whether this is serious or not. We’ll have to wait because a phone call won’t establish peace. A phone call doesn’t resolve a complicated situation like this war.”

Rubio also pointed out that the specific topics for discussions with the Russian delegation are yet to be finalized.

The prospect of Trump’s closer ties with Russia and the upcoming peace talks in Saudi Arabia has raised concerns, particularly with Ukraine and Europe being left out of the discussions. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and EU leaders have expressed alarm, prompting them to call an urgent meeting of European leaders. 

This summit, organized by French President Emmanuel Macron, will be held in Paris.

Ahead of the summit, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer made a statement, saying that Britain is “ready and willing” to send troops to Ukraine if needed to ensure peace. 

Read More: UK ready to send troops to Ukraine if needed for peace: Keir Starmer

In an article published in the Daily Telegraph, Starmer emphasized, “I don’t say this lightly. I deeply feel that it’s our responsibility to protect soldiers and women from the path of potential harm.”