US President-elect Donald Trump told reporters that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was on the cards.
He was speaking prior to meeting a group of Republican governors.
“President Putin wants to meet. He has said that even publicly and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess,” he said, adding that “we are setting it up.”
Trump is set to take office on 20 January. During his election campaign, he pledged to bring the Russia-Ukraine War to an end. Ukraine has received large-scale support from the US in resisting Russia, with total assistance having been in the region of $175 billion, or which around a third has been military.
Trump has been sceptical of US military engagements abroad, and it is unclear whether he would favour continuing support for Ukraine. His detractors have warned this this demonstrates his lack of democratic commitment and that this will embolden autocrats.
While Trump has promised to end the war, he has not indicated on what terms this would take place.