Report: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin set to meet for first time since diplomatic freeze

Preparations for the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump are in advanced stages, according to a report by the Russian news agency RIA, which quoted Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee.

According to the Russian official, the meeting could take place in the coming months, perhaps even this month or in March, when the topics expected to be on the agenda include nuclear arms control, global energy prices and the war in Ukraine, which Trump has stated he wants to bring to an end quickly.

Slutzky added that the Israeli issue and the Middle East could also be included in the meeting's agenda, but refrained from giving an exact date for the meeting.

"The work on the coordination requires serious preparation, and it is already in advanced stages," he noted, stressing that leaders should be allowed to prepare optimally before setting a deadline.