Moscow eyes Saudi Arabia, UAE as ground for Trump-Putin talks

Reuters reported the information, citing sources familiar with the discussions.

While no formal agreement has been reached, Trump has repeatedly expressed his intention to bring the war in Ukraine to an end and has stated his readiness to meet with Putin. In response, the Russian leader congratulated Trump on his election victory and indicated his willingness to discuss Ukraine and energy issues.

Despite official denials from Moscow regarding direct talks with Washington on organizing a phone call between the two presidents — seen as a precursor to any summit — top Russian officials have recently visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Sources say these visits underline the serious consideration of both Gulf nations as possible hosts, though internal opposition remains within Russia due to their strong military ties with the U.S.

Neither country is a member of the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin, restricting his travel to several nations.

Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE has commented on the matter, while the Kremlin has also refrained from making a statement. However, both Trump and Putin have built strong relationships with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Trump has previously praised bin Salman as “a fantastic guy,” and Putin has acknowledged the Saudi leader’s role in facilitating major U.S.-Russia prisoner swaps.

Putin and bin Salman, who have collaborated closely on the OPEC+ oil production agreement, have maintained ties despite Western sanctions on Russia. Meanwhile, both Gulf states have positioned themselves as neutral actors in the Ukraine war, continuing diplomatic engagement with both Moscow and Kyiv.

Russian analysts suggest that traditional venues like Geneva or Helsinki are no longer viable due to Western alignment with Ukraine. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, while viewed as U.S. allies, are seen as acceptable alternatives. However, Turkey — once a host for unsuccessful peace talks — has been ruled out, given its NATO membership.

For now, discussions remain fluid, and any potential meeting between Trump and Putin would likely depend on broader geopolitical calculations.

• On Tuesday, January 7, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin seeks to meet with him.
• Newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump stated that preparations are underway for his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
• Later, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that he was ready to meet with Trump without preconditions, and Putin later announced that Moscow was open to dialogue with the US administration on the war in Ukraine.