US President-Elect Donald Trump has announced that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin is in the works, according to a report by Reuters. “He wants to meet, and we’re working on it” Trump said on Thursday, ahead of a meeting with Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. “He even said it publicly, and we need to put this war behind us. It’s a damn chaos” Trump added.
Trump claimed that millions of soldiers have been killed in the nearly three-year conflict, saying the death toll is “much higher than what the press reports.” He also stated, “This is a war that would not have happened if I were president, and I will really try to end it as soon as possible.”
The date for the meeting has not been set, but Trump emphasized that he would prefer to meet with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping after his inauguration on January 20.
“President Xi – we’ve talked a lot, and we’ve agreed to many meetings with many people” Trump said. “Some have come, but I’d rather wait until after the 20th of January.”
On Thursday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitri Peskov denied that the Kremlin had received a request from Trump to meet with Putin, stating, “No, there was no request.” Peskov noted that Putin has repeatedly expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue and emphasized the need for it, but added that it would be more appropriate to wait until after Trump takes office.
If the political will to reestablish contacts persists after Trump’s inauguration, Putin would welcome it, Peskov said.
During his annual press conference on December 26, Putin commented on the possibility of a meeting with Trump, saying, “I don’t know when I’ll see him. He doesn’t say anything about it.” “I’m ready, of course. Anytime” Putin added, stating that Russia is open to “negotiations and compromises.”
Trump’s transition team believes it is possible that Moscow and Washington could reach a significant security agreement after Trump’s return to the White House, which would concern Ukraine and NATO, and set red lines between Moscow and Washington, according to a TASS report citing a source in Trump’s circle.
Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the multi-billion-dollar US aid to Kiev, stated on Tuesday that he sympathizes with Russia’s position that “Ukraine should not be part of NATO.” His advisors also see Ukraine’s membership as a provocation against Moscow.
As reported by Reuters, Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 has sparked hope for a diplomatic solution to end the Ukraine conflict. However, concerns are growing in Kiev that a quick peace agreement could force the country to make unfavorable concessions. Trump’s advisors have presented proposals to end the conflict, which could involve territorial concessions to Russia, according to Reuters.
Since the war began, the Biden administration has pledged over $175 billion in aid to Ukraine. However, it is unclear if the aid will continue in the same magnitude under Trump, who has said he wants to end the war quickly, according to the report.