U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that he would consider a possible meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Saudi Arabia during his planned visit to the Kingdom in mid-May.
When asked by reporters if he planned to meet with Putin during his trip, Trump responded, “I don’t know, we need to think about it. I haven’t thought about it.” He further added, “We’ll be heading to Saudi Arabia very soon.”
Earlier, Tammy Bruce, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, mentioned that communication between the leaders of Russia and the United States was necessary to address the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. On March 18, Putin and Trump had a phone conversation, during which they discussed a 30-day ceasefire in the Ukrainian conflict, conditions to prevent escalation, and a number of international issues. The Russian leader agreed with Trump’s proposal for both parties in the Ukrainian conflict to refrain from attacking energy infrastructure.
Trump has previously acknowledged that he might meet with the Russian leader after his visit to the Middle East, during which he will tour Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates from May 13 to 16.
