President Trump Says There Must Be An Agreement On Ukraine Before Discussing President Putin's Visit To The US

US President Donald Trump. (Wikimedia Commons/The White House)

JAKARTA - President Donald Trump believes an agreement on a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis should be reached, before speaking of a possible visit by President Vladimir Putin to the United States.

When asked by reporters if he would be open to inviting President Putin to the White House if a peace deal was signed, President Trump said: "Well, I don't want to talk about it (now). I have to get the deal. I have to get the signed deal," he said as quoted by TASS March 18.

"We have to get the deal signed, but that's the only thing I think about," said President Trump.

Diplomacy moved rapidly to change geopolitical conditions when President Trump last month came into contact with President Putin and then Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky in February, saying the leaders of the two warring countries wanted peace.

After that, the US delegation held a two-time meeting with Russian delegates in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Istanbul, Turkey in the same month.

Late February, President Zelensky's visit to the White House turned into tension after he was involved in a 'dispute' with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Room.

Earlier this month, the US and Ukrainian delegations met in Riyadh and agreed on a 30-day full ceasefire plan on the Ukrainian battlefield.

Today, President Trump and President Putin are planning to hold phone talks to discuss a number of issues, including the conflict in Ukraine.