Trump wants to meet Putin 'as soon as possible'
The US president suggested that the world could become “much safer” in two to three weeks.
US President Donald Trump has confirmed he is ready to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as soon as possible, while stressing the importance of resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on May 16 during a tour of the Middle East, Mr. Trump was asked to comment on when he might meet Mr. Putin. The US leader declared, “It’s time for us to do it.”
“We will get it done,” Mr. Trump said, adding that he would meet Mr. Putin “as soon as we can arrange it.”
While not offering a specific timetable for a potential in-person meeting, he suggested that, while the world is now a “much safer place”, it will be “much, much safer” in “two to three weeks”.
The US president had previously considered going to Türkiye on May 16 “if something happens”. Delegations from Moscow and Kiev are expected to hold talks there on Thursday (May 15) after Mr Putin proposed resuming the Istanbul talks, which were suspended three years ago.
The Kremlin delegation waited all day for its counterpart to arrive. It was not until late in the evening that Vladimir Zelensky announced the composition of his delegation, and the talks were postponed to Friday (May 16).
