US President Donald Trump announced on Friday his intention to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin “as soon as we can set it up,” emphasizing that their direct dialogue is crucial for resolving the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, CNN reported.

Speaking after concluding his West Asia tour, Trump stressed that diplomatic efforts are unlikely to progress without his personal involvement with Putin. His comments came just before a planned meeting in Turkey between Russian and Ukrainian officials - the first face-to-face talks since the early stages of the war. Despite the event’s importance, the US has tempered expectations for any major breakthroughs, and Trump echoed this skepticism.

“Nothing” will move forward on Ukraine until he and Putin meet, Trump said, framing their encounter as the key to restarting stalled peace talks. “I think it’s time for us to just do it,” he stated, recalling that both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were expected to attend earlier discussions, but that Putin did not participate because Trump was absent. “I understand that - but we’re going to get it done. Five thousand young people are being killed every single week on average, and we’re going to get it done.”

When asked about the timing of the meeting, Trump replied, “As soon as we can set it up.” He added that while he was prepared to travel immediately, he also planned to visit his newborn grandson - his 11th grandchild, born to his daughter Tiffany Trump on Thursday.

Regarding Zelensky’s absence from the recent talks, Trump said the Ukrainian president did not attend because he knew Putin wouldn’t be there. “He wasn’t going if I wasn’t there,” Trump asserted. He concluded that no meaningful progress will happen until he and Putin come together, “whether you like it or not.”