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Saudi Arabia and UAE Possible Locations for Trump-Putin Summit, Russian Sources Say
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Russia views Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as potential venues for a summit between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, two Russian sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters.
Russian officials have denied any direct communication with the US regarding preparations for a phone call between Trump and Putin, which is expected to take place before any in-person meeting later this year.
However, senior Russian officials have allegedly recently visited both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
One source noted that there is internal resistance in Russia to holding the summit in Saudi Arabia or the UAE, as some diplomats and intelligence officials view the two countries’ close military and security ties with the United States as a potential disadvantage for Moscow.
Trump called Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman first after taking office, later praising him as "a fantastic guy."
Putin visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE in 2023 to try and strengthen ties, amid Russia’s isolation over its war against Ukraine.
Russian analyst Fyodor Lukyanov, scientific director of the Valdai Discussion Club, which regularly engages with President Vladimir Putin, said Trump and Putin have limited options for potential negotiations.
"Almost the entire West is involved on the side of Ukraine. Therefore, all the traditional venues where such things used to take place, like Helsinki, Geneva, and Vienna, are not suitable," he told the state-run TASS news agency.
US President Donald Trump said at the World Economic Forum on January 23 that he would ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to lower oil prices, claiming a price drop could quickly end the war in Ukraine, "You gotta bring it down. If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately.”