The details of a potential meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have yet to be finalized, but both leaders agreed to continue discussions and instructed their aides to begin preparations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Responding to a question about the possibility of Saudi Arabia hosting the summit, Peskov neither confirmed nor denied Trump's statement.
"Now, of course, the work will begin quickly, but we need to wait for further developments," Peskov said.
He declined to comment on who initiated the phone call between the two presidents and whether it was their first conversation since Trump’s inauguration.
According to Peskov, the call did not include discussions about lifting sanctions or the recognition of Crimea and other Russian-annexed territories by the US and Western countries.
"I wouldn’t get ahead of myself. At the working and expert level, contacts are only just beginning," he clarified.
Commenting on Europe’s desire to participate in negotiations, Peskov emphasized that Russia will take into account the experience of the Minsk agreements.
"As for Europe’s involvement, again, there is no clear format for a possible negotiation process yet, so it’s premature to discuss this," the Kremlin representative said.
He added that Russia’s demands are well known, and that Moscow maintains a consistent position on the issue. Russia expects a comprehensive discussion on all matters related to European security, especially those concerning Russia’s interests.
The phone conversation between Putin and Trump took place on February 12, during which they discussed the resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and several other topics. The two leaders agreed to meet in person and extended invitations to visit each other's countries.
Following the call, Trump suggested that the summit could be held in Saudi Arabia, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman playing a role in the negotiations. No date has been set yet, but Trump stated that the meeting would take place "in the not-so-distant future."
The phone conversation between Putin and Trump came shortly after Russia released American citizen Mark Fogel, who had been sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2022 for drug smuggling.
US President’s special envoy Steven Witkoff traveled to Moscow to escort Fogel back to the United States. According to Witkoff, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman played a key role in securing the agreement.
"He has a very strong friendship with President Trump. He worked behind the scenes and pushed for the deal. He was a supporter of both the agreement and the meeting between the two leaders," Witkoff said.
A week ago, sources told Reuters that Russian officials are considering Saudi Arabia or the UAE as possible locations for the Putin-Trump meeting.
However, some diplomats and intelligence officials in Russia are opposed to the idea due to the close ties these countries have with the United States.