Trump To Meet With Putin
President Trump shared Wednesday that he anticipates meeting in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin multiple times in the future, with the first meeting possibly taking place in Saudi Arabia. “We expect to meet soon,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office. “We’re likely to meet in Saudi Arabia, with both of us traveling there—first in Saudi Arabia, that will probably be the first time.”
Though the specific dates for these meetings were not confirmed, Trump stated that the meetings will take place “not in the too distant future.” The announcement came shortly after a phone conversation between Trump and Putin, and amid ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed questions regarding any potential preconditions for the meetings, stating that no specific terms had been set for the discussions.
This potential summit represents a significant shift in U.S.-Russia relations. Former President Joe Biden had a face-to-face meeting with Putin back in June 2021, but since February 2022, Biden has not directly communicated with the Russian leader, especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In March 2022, Biden made a controversial remark declaring that Putin “cannot remain in power,” which the White House later tried to walk back.
Trump’s phone call with Putin, the first publicly known conversation since he left office, focused largely on efforts to negotiate peace in Ukraine. After his talk with Putin, Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Meanwhile, Vice President Vance is expected to meet with Zelensky later this week at the Munich Security Conference, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also traveling to Ukraine to discuss access to critical minerals.
Trump’s relationship with Russia has drawn significant attention over the years, especially after the 2016 election, where accusations of Russian interference stirred controversy. Trump has long argued that improving relations with Russia would be beneficial to the United States. When asked whether Russia was viewed as a competitor or adversary, Leavitt stated that while Russia is considered a competitor and, at times, an adversary, Trump values strong diplomatic relations with global leaders.
