Moscow – The Kremlin announced on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to engage in discussions with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump once he assumes office later this month.
Trump is Set To Be inaugurated on January 20 for his second non-consecutive term as President of the United States. During his campaign and after the November 5, 2024, election, Trump repeatedly claimed he could quickly end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, though he has yet to provide specific details on his plans.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov Told Reporters, "President [Putin] has repeatedly expressed his readiness to engage with the U.S. President, including Donald Trump, and with other world leaders."
On Thursday, Trump Revealed that a meeting with Putin is being planned. Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump stated, "He [Putin] wants to meet, and we will arrange it." The President-elect also emphasized the urgency of ending the war, adding, "President Putin wants to meet, and we must end this war."
The Kremlin Welcomed Trump's willingness to address issues through dialogue. Peskov added, "No preconditions are necessary for these talks—what is needed is mutual interest and political will to resolve issues through negotiations."
Trump Has Expressed his intent to bring the Ukraine conflict to a swift and peaceful resolution, a stance that could pressure Kyiv into accepting a deal favorable to Moscow. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that without Western support, Ukraine would struggle to counter Russia’s aggression.
Zelensky Has Urged Trump to back his "peace through strength" approach and has insisted that any resolution to the war must include specific security guarantees from NATO and Western allies.
Meanwhile, Ukraine Foreign Minister Georgiy Tykhy reiterated Ukraine's position: "We want a just resolution to the war in Ukraine, and we see that President Trump is committed to ending this conflict." He further noted that Ukraine is prepared for immediate talks between Kyiv and Washington after Trump’s inauguration, including discussions between Trump and Zelensky.
The path forward remains uncertain, but all sides appear to recognize the stakes of bringing the war to a conclusion.
