After Putin is a no-show at talks in Turkey, Trump says he’ll meet the Russian leader soon

By ZEKE MILLER and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press ABU DHABI United Arab Emirates AP President Donald Trump mentioned Friday he s moving to set up direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as he can after Putin opted to skip peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey I think it s time for us to just do it Trump informed reporters as he wrapped a four-day visit to the Middle East Trump later informed reporters after boarding Air Force One to begin the journey back to Washington that he may call Putin soon He and I will meet and I think we ll solve it or maybe not Trump disclosed At least we ll know And if we don t solve it it ll be very engaging President Donald Trump talks before signing guest book at the Abrahamic Family House Friday May in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates AP Photo Alex Brandon Trump reiterated that he wasn t surprised that Putin skipped out on the talks set for Friday in Turkey Putin didn t want to go because he s not there Trump reported The Republican president added that he would hold a meeting with Putin as soon as we can set it up I would indeed leave here and go reported Trump who noted his daughter Tiffany just gave birth to her first child I do want to see my beautiful grandson Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to take part in the talks as Trump pressed for the leaders to find a cure to the war ongoing since Russia s February invasion of Ukraine But Putin spurned the call to meet face-to-face with Zelenskyy Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a joint press comment with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Kremlin in Moscow Russia Wednesday May Alexander Nemenov Pool Photo via AP Trump has pressed both sides to expeditiously come to a war-ending agreement Zelenskyy has agreed to an American plan for an initial -day halt to hostilities but Russia has not signed on and has continued to strike at targets inside Ukraine Still Russia and Ukraine were holding their first direct peace talks in three years Friday gathering in Istanbul for negotiations Executives and observers expect them to yield little immediate progress on stopping the more than -year-old war He didn t go and I understand that Trump noted We re going to get it done We got to get it done Five thousand young people are being killed every single week on average and we re going to get it done Trump on Thursday reported reporters that a meeting between himself and Putin was crucial to developing the deadlock I don t believe anything s going to happen whether you like it or not until he and I get together Trump stated But we re going to have to get it solved because too plenty of people are dying