Trump envoy heads to Moscow as Putin talks loom
On Wednesday, Donald Trump announced that a group of U.S. representatives was currently on their way to Moscow. In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that potential meetings with U.S. representatives in the coming days were not ruled out.
"Hopefully we can get a ceasefire from Russia," said Trump in the Oval Office.
The U.S. President also highlighted that representatives were currently heading to Russia. With this remark, Trump alluded to media reports suggesting that his envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, would be traveling to Moscow this week.
Russian diplomacy immediately noted Trump's words. "We do not rule out contacts with US representatives within the next few days," said the ministry spokeswoman, quoted by the Kremlin agency TASS.
Putin-Trump meeting?
Russian media are simultaneously speculating about a possible meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. According to reports from the Moscow Times portal, the Kremlin is discussing possibly organising a meeting between the Russian and U.S. presidents in April or May. The portal cites representatives of the Russian authorities.
The most tentative potential date is Easter, it reads.
According to the publication, Moscow is interested in delaying the meeting date. The Kremlin wants to gain as many concessions as possible from Washington in exchange for halting military actions because currently "time is on Russia's side," the portal's interlocutors claim.
The Moscow Times also reports that Saudi Arabia is the most likely meeting place, although "other locations in the Middle East" are also being considered. The summit could coincide with Trump's planned visit to the region.
The meeting will not occur later than June, maintained by one of the Moscow Times' interlocutors.
