Trump and Putin to Hold First Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Photo:Forbes
February 13, 2025 | Washington, D.C.: U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since taking office, with Saudi Arabia set to host the highly anticipated meeting.
Following a 90-minute phone conversation with Putin, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the two leaders discussed ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Saudi Arabia Chosen as the First Meeting Venue
“We expect to meet soon. He’ll come here, I’ll go there, but our first meeting will likely be in Saudi Arabia,” Trump said. “We know Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and I think it would be a very good place for talks.”
While an exact date has not been set, Trump confirmed that the meeting will take place in the “not too distant future.”
Kremlin Confirms Invitation to U.S. Officials
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also stated that Putin had invited Trump and his administration to visit Moscow for further discussions on Ukraine.
“The Russian president has invited the U.S. president to Moscow and expressed his willingness to host American officials to discuss areas of mutual interest, including the Ukraine conflict,” Peskov said.
Trump’s Peace Talks Plan Sparks Controversy
The announcement follows Trump’s statement that peace talks would begin “immediately,” and that Ukraine would likely not regain its lost territories. This remark has sparked strong reactions from both U.S. and European allies.
As diplomatic tensions rise, all eyes will be on Saudi Arabia as a key mediator for U.S.-Russia talks, with potential global implications for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
