Trump and Putin are scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine

US President Donald Trump revealed on Wednesday that he expects to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia for peace talks on Ukraine, marking a significant shift in relations following a surprise phone call between the two leaders.

In their first confirmed interaction since Trump's return to the White House, the US president described the conversation with Putin, who ordered the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as "lengthy and highly productive." Trump, who has been advocating for a swift end to the nearly three-year conflict, also denied claims that Ukraine would be excluded from the talks between the two nuclear-armed powers.

"We expect that he'll come here, and I'll go there – we're going to meet probably in Saudi Arabia for the first time," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office about his planned meeting with Putin.

He added that the meeting would likely happen "in the not too distant future" and mentioned that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was instrumental in a recent Russia-US prisoner swap, would also be involved.

The Kremlin stated that the call lasted almost one-and-a-half hours, with both leaders agreeing that "the time has come to work together." Putin reportedly invited Trump to visit Moscow.

Trump had previously promised to end the Ukraine war "within 24 hours" after taking office on January 20.

'Make peace'
Trump made headlines earlier by announcing the call on his Truth Social network, stating that both he and Putin had "agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine," using an unverified toll for the conflict’s casualties.

The US president said he and Putin agreed to "work together very closely, including visiting each other's countries" and to have their teams begin immediate negotiations on Ukraine.

Trump later spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not included in the call with Putin. Zelensky said the call was "meaningful" and that he had shared details of his discussions with Putin.

Afterward, Trump said Zelensky, like Putin, also wants peace.

The move sparked concerns that Ukraine might be excluded from the talks about its future.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth told European counterparts earlier on Wednesday that Ukraine's goal of returning to its pre-2014 borders was an "illusionary goal" and that Kyiv's wish for NATO membership was "not realistic," both of which are key demands from Moscow.

Trump rejected the idea that Zelensky was being sidelined and denied that Hegseth's comments indicated Washington was agreeing to Russia's preconditions. He also called NATO membership for Ukraine "impractical."

Zelensky is seeking strong security guarantees from the US as part of any agreement with Russia, while Trump has suggested a deal in which Ukraine's rare earth minerals could be exchanged for continued military aid.

'Root causes'
Zelensky is scheduled to meet with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, after meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Kyiv on Wednesday.

The Kremlin’s statement on the call was more measured, noting that Putin and Trump agreed that a long-term settlement could be reached through peace talks but emphasized addressing the "root causes of the conflict," which Russia attributes to Western influence on Kyiv.

Signs of a thaw in relations have emerged this week, with a prisoner swap deal seeing Moscow release US teacher Marc Fogel, Belarus freeing a US citizen, and Washington releasing Russian cryptocurrency mogul Alexander Vinnik.

Trump, who has previously expressed admiration for Putin, praised the Russian leader in his Truth Social post. He even noted that Putin had used his "very strong Campaign motto of 'COMMON SENSE'" and thanked him for Fogel’s release.

However, concerns are rising in Kyiv and European capitals about the potential shape of any agreement. French, German, and Spanish foreign ministers emphasized on Wednesday that there could be "no just and lasting peace" without Ukraine and its European partners being involved.