Moscow: The Kremlin announced on Thursday a preliminary agreement between Moscow and Washington to hold a bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, expected to take place next week. The location of the meeting has not yet been disclosed.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Russian presidency stated that this meeting would mark the first interaction between the two leaders since Putin’s encounter with former U.S. President Joe Biden in Geneva in 2021. The initiative is reportedly tied to Trump’s efforts to mediate an end to the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine.

Presidential advisor Yuri Ushakov disclosed that the agreement to hold the meeting was suggested by the American side. Coordination is ongoing with Washington regarding the meeting’s specifics. Ushakov confirmed that the meeting is scheduled for next week, with the location decided in principle, although it remains undisclosed to the public.

The announcement comes on the heels of a meeting between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and President Putin in Moscow. It aligns with Trump’s repeated calls to meet with Putin, as he considers direct dialogue the essential route toward progress in achieving peace between Moscow and Kyiv.