Trump says Putin wants him at peace talks after president said he is 'thinking' of going to Turkey for negotiations
by Shannon Cook · LBCBy Shannon Cook
Trump said Putin wants him to be present at peace talks with Zelenskyy - after the US president said he was "thinking" of going to Turkey.
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Trump said he may fly to Turkey on Thursday after his trip to the United Arab Emirates.
While he said he doesn't know if Putin will be present at talks, the US president said the Russian leader "would like me to be there".
Speaking to reporters on the way to Qatar: “He’d like me to be there, and that’s a possibility … I don’t know that he would be there if I’m not there. We’re going to find out."
Trump is in Qatar for the second-leg of a four-day tour to the Middle East.
The US president also said he was "always considering" secondary sanctions on Moscow after the European Union laid out a 17th package on Wednesday.
The US president has pushed for Ukraine and Russia to meet to put an end to the conflict.
On Sunday, Zelenskyy urged Vladimir Putin to meet him on Thursday in Istanbul but Russia's leader has yet to respond.
Mr Trump said late on Monday, "I was thinking about flying over. I don't know where I am going be on Thursday.
"I've got so many meetings.
"There's a possibility there I guess, if I think things can happen."
The US president has embarked on his Middle East tour this week - marking the first foreign trip of his second administration.
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Zelenskyy supported the notion of Trump joining the peace talks.
He said: "I supported President Trump with the idea of direct talks with Putin. I have openly expressed my readiness to meet.
"And of course, all of us in Ukraine would appreciate it if President Trump could be there with us at this meeting in Turkey."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to say who - if anyone - would be travelling to Turkey as a representative for Russia.
Mr Peskov said: "Overall, we're determined to seriously look for ways to achieve a long-term peaceful settlement. That is all."
Meanwhile, European Union commission vice president Kaja Kallas said: "We want to see that Russia also wants peace.
"It takes two to want peace, it takes only one to want war, and we see that Russia clearly wants war."
Russia has continued with its nightly attacks on Ukraine.
Last week, at least 108 drone strikes were launched at Ukraine overnight, 55 of which were shot down, Kyiv said.
The attacks targeted almost all of Ukraine, the country’s air force said, and came just hours after European leaders met to demand an immediate ceasefire.
Zelenskyy has said he is willing to meet with Putin for direct talks - after Donald Trump urged the two nations to talk "immediately" in a bid to end the "bloodbath".
The Ukrainian President has said he will be "waiting for" the Russian leader in Türkiye "personally" for the talks.