Trump says expects to meet Putin 'probably' in Saudi Arabia

US President Donald Trump has said that he expects to sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin "probably" in Saudi Arabia for the first of what he said could be a series of meetings geared toward ending Russia's war with Ukraine.

Trump continued on Wednesday to describe the war as a "disaster" that is "really bloody horrible," saying he believes that with his assistance, "we'll get something done" to end the nearly three-year-long conflict.

"I'll be dealing with President Putin, largely on the phone, and we ultimately expect to meet. In fact, we expect that he'll come here, and I'll go there, and we're going to meet also, probably in Saudi Arabia," he told reporters in the Oval Office.

"The first time, we'll meet in Saudi Arabia, see if we get something done. But we want to end that war."

Ukraine NATO membership 'not practical'

Trump also said it would not be "practical" to grant Ukraine membership to NATO, a key sticking point in the war.

He also said it was unlikely that Ukraine would get all of its land back.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he discussed peace negotiations with Trump, saying he appreciates "his genuine interest in our shared opportunities and how we can bring about real peace together."

"We believe that America's strength, together with Ukraine and all our partners, is enough to push Russia to peace," Zelenskyy said on X.