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Trump says to meet with Putin when possible

The US president suggested that the world would become much safer within two or three weeks

ABU DHABI, May 16. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump said he will meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as soon as he is able to arrange such a contact.

"As soon as we can set it up," he said during his visit to the United Arab Emirates, when asked by reporters about a possible meeting with Putin.

Commenting on the anticipated contacts between Moscow and Kiev in Istanbul, Trump reiterated his call to end the conflict.

The White House host also suggested that the world "will become much safer within two or three weeks."

Speaking about the results of his Middle East tour, the US president announced that not only hundreds of billions of investments will flow into the US, but also many lucrative contracts will be signed, allowing to create new jobs. Trump also called the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE great people.

Trump added he plans to return to Washington. "My daughter had a baby. I'm going to go back home and see that little baby, and then we get back to a lot of work," the US leader announced.

Earlier, he assumed he could visit Istanbul on May 16.

The talks

On May 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to resume direct talks with Ukraine without any preliminary conditions on May 15 in Istanbul. The goal is to address the root causes of the conflict and potentially achieve a ceasefire.

Late on Wednesday evening, Putin finalized the Russian team of negotiators for talks with Kiev. Like in 2022, when the negotiations between the two sides collapsed, the Russian delegation is being led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky. It also includes Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin.

While the Russian team of negotiators was ready to begin talks on Thursday morning, the Ukrainian delegation did not show up for the meeting. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky originally planned to fly to Istanbul himself, but later opted against it and formed a team of negotiators led by Defense Minster Rustem Umerov.

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Ukraine crisis Donald Trump

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