The Kremlin expressed its approval of U.S. President Donald Trump's stance on resolving the war in Ukraine and confirmed that preparations were being made for a possible meeting between Trump and Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov highlighted the mutual political will for both countries to seek a resolution and bring an end to the three-year conflict.
Following a phone conversation between Putin and Trump, where Trump mentioned the impracticality of Ukraine joining NATO, Peskov mentioned that the specifics of a potential meeting in Saudi Arabia were still being arranged. He chose not to disclose who initiated the call.
Regarding Putin's invitation for Trump to visit Moscow, Peskov clarified that while there were mutual invitations exchanged, the bilateral meeting was a separate matter. Emphasizing the intention for dialogue and settlement, Peskov stated, "There is a political will…to conduct a dialogue in search of a settlement," highlighting a shift in the current administration's position towards stopping the war and pursuing peace.
Peskov acknowledged the contrast between the previous U.S. administration's approach of sustaining the conflict and the current administration's objective of halting it, stating, "We are more impressed with the position of the current administration, and we are open to dialogue." As for the involvement of European countries in peace talks, Peskov mentioned it was premature to discuss the format.