Amid America’s support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, the United States President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday he is going to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “very quickly”.
Although he did not provide a timeline on when the meeting will take place, according to him, he will meet Putin soon after he takes office next week.
The development comes even as U.S. Congressman Mike Waltz, the incoming National Security Adviser, said on Sunday he expected a call between Trump and Putin in “the coming days and weeks.”
Should Trump meet with Putin, it would be the first between the leaders of the two countries since Russia’s war with Ukraine started in February 2022.
Trump however noted that the war between Russia and Ukraine has not gone exactly the way Russia wanted it noting that the resolution of the crisis was up to Putin.
According to Newsmax, Trump said “Well, there’s only one strategy and it’s up to Putin and I can’t imagine he’s too thrilled about the way it’s gone because it hasn’t gone exactly well for him either.”
“And I know he wants to meet and I’m going to meet very quickly. I would’ve done it sooner but you have to get into the office. For some of the things, you do have to be there.”
Russia’s current invasion of Ukraine has left tens of thousands of people dead.
This is even as millions are displaced.
Earlier Putin noted that he was not against meeting Trump.
There are uncertainties around what shape the war between Ukraine and Russia will take upon ascension of office by Trump.
Ukraine relies heavily on USA for support in its war against Russia.