US President Donald Trump has said that any decision to reach a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war lies entirely with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"It's going to be up to him," Trump told reporters on Thursday at the White House when asked whether his ceasefire deadline for Putin still stands.
"We're going to see what he has to say. It's going to be up to him. Very disappointed,’’ he added.
Asked whether a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is required before Trump would sit down with the Russian leader, the president replied: "No."
"They would like to meet with me, and I'll do whatever I can to stop the killing," Trump said.
On the same day, Putin floated the United Arab Emirates as a possible venue for a meeting with Trump, calling it a "quite suitable location."
He said Moscow and Washington both expressed interest in holding talks.
"We have many friends who are ready to help us organise events of this kind. One of our friends is the president of the United Arab Emirates," Putin said from the Kremlin.
Regarding a potential trilateral summit involving Zelenskyy, Putin said he had no objection "in principle" but emphasised the need to "create the necessary conditions" before such a meeting could take place.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov noted that Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, had raised the possibility of a trilateral meeting during talks in Moscow.
However, the Kremlin said it did not engage in discussions about that option and is focusing on arranging a successful bilateral summit between Trump and Putin.
Years of close contact
During his first term, Trump and Putin maintained close contact, holding at least five face-to-face meetings and nine publicly disclosed phone calls, along with multiple exchanges of letters.
Their interactions covered a wide range of global issues — from Syria to Ukraine and arms control.
Trump has now instructed aides to arrange a new call with Putin, potentially paving the way for a summit aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
While the Kremlin has downplayed reports of a pending invitation, Trump insists preparations are under way.
Analysts say a renewed Trump-Putin meeting could mark a return to the personal diplomacy that defined much of the leaders’ previous relationship.
