According to Reuters, speaking at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida (USA), Mr. Trump emphasized the Russia-Ukraine conflict: "President Putin wants to meet. He said that even in public and we have to end that conflict. It's a mess."
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022, continues with heavy casualties. Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 has raised hopes for a diplomatic solution to the conflict, but has also raised concerns in Kiev. The Ukrainian government fears that a quick peace deal could come with major concessions that could see the country lose territory to Russia.
Mr Trump’s advisers have floated proposals to end the conflict, including potentially allowing Russia to control parts of Ukraine in the near future.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia welcomed Trump's desire to meet, but said it had not yet received an official request and should wait for Trump to take office before taking any steps.
Since the conflict began, the current US administration has pledged more than $175 billion in support for Ukraine, including more than $60 billion in security aid. However, it is unclear whether that level of support will continue at the same pace under Mr Trump, who has said he wants to end the conflict quickly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also highlighted Mr Trump’s decisive role in the outcome of the 34-month conflict, hoping the president-elect can help contain Russia’s ambitions and bring peace to the region.
However, whether the meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin can reach breakthrough agreements remains a big question mark.
