Putin is considering a potential meeting with Trump in an Arab country, according to Reuters.

Russia is considering Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as potential locations for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

According to Reuters.

Neither of these countries is a member of the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for Putin, limiting his ability to visit several nations, including Brazil and South Africa.

As noted by the agency, Trump has expressed a desire to conclude the war in Ukraine as soon as possible and has also shown willingness to meet with Putin. In turn, Putin congratulated Trump on his election and expressed readiness for a meeting to discuss issues related to Ukraine and energy.

Russian officials have repeatedly denied any direct contacts with the U.S. regarding the preparation of a phone call between Trump and Putin that could precede their potential meeting later this year.

However, according to Russian sources who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, in recent weeks, high-ranking Russian officials have visited both Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

One source noted that there is still some resistance within Russia to this initiative, as certain diplomats and intelligence representatives emphasize the close military and security ties that the kingdom and the UAE maintain with the United States.

The Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was the first foreign leader Trump called after taking office. During his video address to the audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump referred to the Crown Prince as a “fantastic guy.”

Putin, who visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE in 2023, stated last September that he was grateful to Mohammed bin Salman for facilitating the largest prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia since the Cold War.

Background. Previously, Mind reported that the Trump administration wants Ukraine to hold elections immediately after a ceasefire. The winner of the elections could be responsible for signing a more long-term agreement with Russia, according to the White House.