US President-elect Donald Trump has expressed his desire to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as he takes office.
In an interview with Newsmax, Trump stated that both he and Putin are eager to meet, and that he plans to do so quickly.
However, Trump noted that certain formalities must be observed, and that he must first take office.
This development comes after Trump previously declined to specify when he would meet with Putin, citing the need to wait until after his inauguration on January 20.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that while there are no substantive preparations for a meeting yet, there is a strong political will for such a meeting to take place.
Trump’s National Security Advisor Designate, Mike Waltz, has suggested that the two leaders may hold a phone conversation in the coming days or weeks.
The presidential inauguration is set to take place on January 20, marking the beginning of Trump’s new term in office.
