Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual press conference in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was informed about the recent Russia-U.S. talks in Riyadh, describing the results as positive, local media reported on Wednesday.
"I've been briefed on the talks. I appreciate them. There is a result," Putin said, answering media questions during a visit to an UAV production plant in St. Petersburg.
Putin said he highly valued the outcome of the high-level meeting and said the negotiations paved the way towards resuming cooperation in various areas of mutual interest.
The talks were primarily focused on restoring relations between Moscow and Washington, Putin noted, adding that strengthening trust between both countries was crucial for resolving pressing issues, including the Ukraine conflict.
Russia and the United States are working together on key issues related to economic, space, and energy cooperation, he stated.
Putin also said that he would like to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, though some preparation was necessary beforehand.
Talking about the possible negotiation on Ukraine, Putin said Trump had told him in their phone conversation that the United States assumed that both Russia and Ukraine would take part in it.
Russian and U.S. delegations held talks on Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the first face-to-face interactions between senior U.S. and Russian officials since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022.
