Moscow is evaluating Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as possible locations for a future summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, Reuters reported on Monday, citing sources with knowledge of the matter.
Both leaders have recently signaled their openness to meet to discuss ways to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, a conflict Trump previously claimed he could resolve quickly if elected.
Russian officials have recently traveled to both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, but some diplomats and intelligence figures in Russia reportedly oppose holding the summit there due to the countries’ close relations with the U.S. military and intelligence community.
Trump stated on Sunday that his team is already in discussions with Russian officials about ways to bring the war in Ukraine to an end. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that such contacts were “apparently planned.”
Though Saudi Arabia and the UAE have refrained from joining Western sanctions or condemning Russia’s invasion, both countries have maintained diplomatic relations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Putin in 2023 over alleged war crimes. Putin visited both countries later that year.
Russia has already ruled out NATO member Turkey as a summit venue, citing its involvement in failed peace talks held in Istanbul in March 2022.
