Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to direct talks with US President-elect Donald Trump, though no specifics have yet been finalized, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The two leaders have expressed mutual interest in engaging in dialogue, with a meeting likely to take place after Trump officially assumes office on January 20.
Earlier, Trump had announced plans for a meeting with Putin, suggesting that it would occur following his inauguration. Throughout his 2024 campaign, the Republican candidate repeatedly vowed to resolve the Ukraine conflict “within 24 hours” of taking office. He has also promised to push Moscow and Kiev to restart negotiations in a bid to bring an end to the ongoing war.
Peskov confirmed that both Putin and Trump are ready to engage in talks, emphasizing that there are no preconditions for such a meeting. “President Putin has repeatedly stated his openness to contacts with international leaders, including the US president, and in particular, Donald Trump,” Peskov said. “No conditions are required for this. What is required is a mutual desire and political will to conduct a dialogue and resolve existing problems.”
While specifics on when and where the meeting would occur remain unclear, Peskov indicated that some progress could be expected after Trump takes office. Moscow, he noted, is proceeding with the assumption that both sides are ready for a conversation.
Trump, speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida earlier this week, suggested it might take up to six months after his inauguration to help broker a deal between Moscow and Kiev. His special envoy on the Ukraine conflict, retired US Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, also mentioned a 100-day timeline for peace. However, Trump has yet to provide detailed plans for how a peace deal would unfold. Media reports suggest that his team may consider freezing the conflict along the current front lines.
In contrast, Moscow has made it clear that it seeks to end the conflict entirely rather than freeze it. Russia argues that a temporary ceasefire could allow Ukraine to regroup and rearm itself for future hostilities.
Putin has previously stated that peace talks can only happen if Ukraine withdraws its forces from all Russian territories, abandons its NATO aspirations, and agrees to a neutral, nuclear-weapons-free status. As discussions between the two leaders loom, all eyes are on how Trump will navigate the delicate situation and whether he can fulfill his pledge to resolve the war swiftly.
