Plans are in motion for an in-person meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. His statement on Saturday signals a shift away from Western efforts to isolate Moscow due to its actions in Ukraine.
Speaking to Russian state media, Ryabkov suggested that a potential Trump-Putin summit could cover a wide range of global issues, not just the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“The question is about starting to move toward normalising relations between our countries, finding ways to resolve the most acute and potentially very, very dangerous situations, of which there are many, Ukraine among them,” he stated.
However, Ryabkov noted that discussions are still in the early stages and that making the meeting a reality will require “the most intensive preparatory work.” He also mentioned that U.S. and Russian envoys might hold talks within the next two weeks to set the groundwork for further high-level discussions.
During a meeting in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, U.S. and Russian representatives reportedly agreed to work toward ending the war in Ukraine and improving diplomatic and economic ties. This development marks a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy under Trump. Senior American officials indicated that Ukraine might have to abandon its ambitions of joining NATO and accept the loss of 20% of its territory currently occupied by Russia.
Following the meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told The Associated Press that both sides had broadly agreed to focus on three objectives: restoring embassy staffing, forming a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks, and exploring closer diplomatic and economic ties.
He clarified, however, that the discussions, attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other top officials from both nations, were just the beginning of a longer negotiation process. Lavrov described the talks as “very useful.”
No Ukrainian representatives were present at the Saudi talks, which took place as Ukraine continues to lose ground against Russian forces nearly three years after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected any potential outcomes from the discussions, citing Kyiv’s absence, and postponed a planned trip to Saudi Arabia last Wednesday. European allies have also raised concerns about being excluded from negotiations.
Trump Appears to Soften His Stance on Ukraine
On Friday, Trump seemed to moderate his previous remarks that falsely blamed Kyiv for initiating the conflict, though he maintained that both Zelenskyy and former U.S. President Joe Biden should have done more to prevent hostilities with Moscow.
“Russia attacked, but they shouldn’t have let him attack,” Trump said during a radio interview with Brian Kilmeade of Fox News, referring to Putin.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, with Putin justifying the attack through false claims that it was necessary to protect Russian-speaking civilians in eastern Ukraine and prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.
Later that day, speaking from the Oval Office, Trump told reporters that the conflict “doesn’t affect the United States very much. It’s on the other side of the ocean. It does affect Europe.”
London Protesters Demand Greater Support for Ukraine
On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators waving Ukrainian flags marched to the Russian Embassy in London, urging greater military aid for Kyiv and demanding that Ukraine be included in any negotiations to end the war.
Chanting, “Trump you’re no friend, you’re a traitor to Ukraine,” protesters called for the withdrawal of Russian forces and increased Western military assistance.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to visit Washington next week for discussions centered on Ukraine. Starmer emphasized that no decisions regarding Ukraine’s future should be made without Kyiv’s participation.
Following a conversation with Zelenskyy on Saturday, Starmer reaffirmed “the UK’s ironclad support for Ukraine and commitment to securing a just and enduring peace to bring an end to Russia’s illegal war,” according to a statement from his office.
