Speaking after talks with President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Moscow, President Putin said: We have many friends ready to support the meeting. One of them is the UAE president. I think we will decide soon, but this is clearly a very suitable location.
This information immediately raised speculation that Abu Dhabi - the capital of the UAE - could be the place to witness a confrontation or a peaceful meeting between two leaders who have created the most turmoil on the world political stage over the past decade.
When asked which side proposed the first meeting, the Russian president said directly: "There has been interest from both sides. As for who predicted it, now it is no longer important.
According to Western sources, right after the visit to Moscow by US special missionary Steve Witkoff on August 6 - described by the White House as "very effective" - President Trump's close advisory group began urgently planning for the summit. US media said that President Trump is considering the possibility of incorporating a tripartite meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into the agenda.
However, Russia is still reserved about this scenario.
Responding to the press about the possibility of meeting Mr. Zelensky, President Putin said: "In principle, I do not object. The meeting is possible. But for that to happen, certain conditions need to be created. Unfortunately, at present, we are still far from that.
Since Zelensky's presidency ended in 2024 without a new election (due to martial law), Russia has said all important international agreements need to be approved by the Ukrainian parliament.
A Kremlin adviser had previously affirmed: We do not rule out the possibility of meeting Ukrainian President Zelensky, but it will require a very complicated preparation process. Kiev is trying to hold a meeting without a clear agenda.
Observers say a meeting between the three leaders - Putin, Trump and Zelensky - could be the biggest turning point in efforts to end the more than three-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine. However, all eyes are still on the possibility of a Russia-US bilateral meeting first.
It is not surprising that Mr. Putin chose the UAE as a potential location. Abu Dhabi has long been viewed as a neutral country with good ties to both Washington and Moscow. Moreover, the UAE is emerging as a "new geopolitical center", where the world powers seek to meet outside NATO or the EU space.
If the meeting really takes place in the next few days, it will be the first time the two leaders have met in person since Mr. Trump returned to the White House in 2025.
