President-elect Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he is making arrangements for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing the need to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Trump said, "He wants to meet, and we're setting it up," suggesting a commitment to ending what he described as "a bloody mess" due to the war, which has seen significant casualties since the Russian invasion in early 2022. This declaration was made during a conference with Republican governors, where he reiterated that "we have to get that war over with" (source: [The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5078297-trump-says-hes-working-on-arranging-a-meeting-with-putin/)).

The Kremlin has responded positively to Trump's comments, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcoming the readiness for dialogue, though he noted that no formal requests for a meeting had been received as of yet. Peskov stated that "for obvious reasons, it would probably be more expedient to wait until the new U.S. president takes office" ([Reuters](http://reuters.com/world/russia-says-it-welcomes-trumps-readiness-solve-problems-through-dialogue-2025-01-10/)).

Trump's announcement has sparked hopes for a potential diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine crisis, while raising concerns amongst Ukrainian officials about the implications of a hastily arranged peace deal, especially considering Trump's previous comments about potentially ceding territory to Russia in negotiations. Some advisers to Trump have suggested strategies that could result in Ukraine giving up large areas to facilitate a swift end to hostilities ([Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/10/donald-trump-says-meeting-with-russias-vladimir-putin-being-set-up)).

Despite Trump’s enthusiasm, the situation remains precarious. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed that a peace agreement must decisively address Ukraine's territorial integrity and independence. Observers worry that Trump's approach could be more beneficial to Russia, given his past reluctance to criticize Putin and skepticism regarding U.S. military aid to Ukraine ([Newsweek](https://www.newsweek.com/russia-refutes-donald-trumps-claim-about-meeting-putin-2012875)). In earlier statements, Trump claimed he could end the conflict "in 24 hours" but now suggests a timeline of six months might be more realistic.

The potential meeting underscores a pivotal moment in U.S.-Russia relations, capturing global attention as the world waits to see how Trump’s administration will handle the complex and evolving dynamics of the Russia-Ukraine war, which has dramatically altered the geopolitical landscape since 2022 ([USA Today](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/10/trump-putin-meeting/77591006007/)).

For further information and updates on this developing story, you can refer to the original articles from South China Morning Post, and Salon.