Preparations are being made for an in-person meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, according to Russia’s deputy foreign minister on Saturday. This signals a significant departure from the Western isolation of Moscow due to its ongoing war in Ukraine.
In an interview with Russian state media, Sergei Ryabkov mentioned that a potential summit involving Putin and Trump could encompass discussions on a wide range of global issues, extending beyond just the conflict in Ukraine.
“The focus is on initiating steps towards normalizing relations between our nations and identifying solutions to the most pressing and potentially perilous situations, including the situation in Ukraine,” he stated.
However, he noted that the efforts to arrange such a meeting are still in the preliminary stages, emphasizing that it will necessitate “the most intensive preparatory work.”
Ryabkov also indicated that U.S. and Russian representatives could convene “within the next two weeks” to lay the groundwork for subsequent discussions involving higher-ranking officials.
During a high-level meeting in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Russian and U.S. delegates agreed to begin efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine and enhance their diplomatic and economic relations, a remarkable shift in U.S. foreign policy during President Trump’s administration.
Following this meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed the AP that both parties agreed on three primary objectives: restoring staff levels at their embassies in Washington and Moscow; establishing a senior-level team to facilitate peace talks regarding Ukraine; and investigating options for improved relations and economic collaboration.
He emphasized that the discussions—attended by his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, along with other senior officials from both nations—represented the commencement of a dialogue, and further efforts are necessary. Lavrov described the meeting as “very useful.”
No Ukrainian officials were present at the talks, which occurred as the struggling nation is gradually but undoubtedly losing territory to an overwhelming number of Russian forces, nearly three years after Russia initiated a full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbor.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would not endorse any outcomes from the discussions, given Kyiv’s absence, and he postponed his planned trip to Saudi Arabia that was set for the previous Wednesday. Furthermore, European allies have also voiced concerns about potentially being marginalized.
