Sources close to the Russian government have revealed that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are being considered as potential hosts for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has yet to comment officially on the matter.
Experts note that traditional summit locations such as Helsinki or Geneva are no longer viable due to the current geopolitical landscape. Trump has made it clear that he wants to resolve the Ukraine conflict as soon as possible and is open to a meeting with Putin. Putin, in turn, congratulated Trump on his election victory and expressed his willingness to discuss Ukraine and energy issues.
Russian officials have repeatedly emphasized that there are no direct contacts between the US and Russia to prepare a phone call between the two presidents, which could precede a later meeting this year. However, high-ranking Russian officials have visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE in recent weeks, according to the Russian sources, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the topic, as reported by Reuters.
One source explained that there is still resistance in Russia to the idea, citing the close military and security ties between the US and the two Gulf states. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have not responded to the relevant inquiries and the Kremlin has declined to comment. Trump and Putin, however, have good relations with the rulers of Saudi Arabia and the UAE.