Preparations for a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are said to be at an ‘advanced stage’ after the US president declared last month that he would end the war in Ukraine.
Quoting senior lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, Russian state news agency RIA said Thursday that talks between the two leaders were imminent, possibly taking place in February or March.
This is the first time Russia has commented on the possibility of a meeting with the American leader with a time frame and confirmation.
The White House has yet to comment on Russia’s reports of a possible meeting between Trump and Putin.
The US and Russian leaders have both said they are keen to hold a meeting whose agenda could include nuclear arms control and global energy prices as well as Trump’s stated aim to bring a swift end the conflict in Ukraine.
Slutsky said he also expected them to talk about the situation in the Middle East.
‘The work requires serious preparation, which – I’m not giving away any secret – is currently at an advanced stage,’ he said.
It was suggested earlier this week that Russia was considering Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates as venues for a potential Russia-US summit.
Trump had said days before his inauguration that a meeting was being arranged between himself and Putin.
No timeline for when the meeting might take place was given, but the Kremlin said in a response that it was open to talks over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Europe’s biggest since World War II.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands as they meet in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018
Preparations for a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are said to be at an ‘advanced stage’
The White House has yet to comment on Russia’s reports of a possible meeting between Trump and Putin
The last time Putin and Trump met was at the Russia-United States summit in Helsinki, Finland in July 2018.
Putin has been facing pressure in recent weeks to accept a deal to end the war with Ukraine after Trump called on him to quash the conflict, Europe’s biggest since World War II.
The Russian leader is also said to be increasingly concern about distortions in Russia’s wartime economy, after domestic activity became strained in recent months thanks to labor shortages and high interest rates introduced to tackle inflation.
Last month, Trump said more sanctions, as well as tariffs, on Russia are likely unless Putin negotiates.
It comes after Reuters reported this week that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are seen by Russia as possible venues for a summit between Putin and Trump.
Russian officials have repeatedly denied any direct contacts with the US about preparations for a phone call between Trump and Putin.
However, senior Russian officials have visited both Saudi Arabia and the UAE in recent weeks, according to Russian sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.
One source said there was still some opposition to the idea in Russia as some diplomats and intelligence officials were pointing to the close military and security links that both the Kingdom and the UAE have with the United States.
The reports of a possible meeting between the US and Russian leaders come after Putin praised Trump earlier this month, and said that his counterpart will soon ‘restore order’ in Europe.
Speaking to Russian propagandist Pavel Zarubin, Putin said that the newly-elected US president would ensure that European leaders will stand at his feet and ‘gently wag their tails’.
