Reuters quoted two Russian sources as saying that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are possible venues for hosting a summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, while several energy sites in Russia caught fire after a Ukrainian attack last night.

Trump says he intends to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible, and that he is ready to meet with Putin.

Putin congratulated US President Trump on his election and said he was ready to meet him for discussions on Ukraine and energy.

Russian officials have repeatedly denied any direct contact with the United States about preparing for a phone call between Trump and Putin that would precede a possible meeting later this year.

However, senior Russian officials have visited both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in recent weeks, according to two Russian sources described by Reuters as knowledgeable and speaking on condition of anonymity.

Trump said on Sunday that his administration has "meetings and conversations scheduled with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia."

Asked about the remarks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the contacts were "clearly planned."

balanced relationships

In addition to their close ties with the United States, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have maintained relations with Russia, choosing neutrality throughout the war on Ukraine, and refraining from joining the West in criticizing and punishing Russia.

The two countries also maintained regular contact with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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Neither country is a member of the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Putin that prevents him from visiting a number of countries.

While Russian sources have ruled out Turkey, which hosted failed peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in March 2022, as a possible venue for Putin and Trump to meet, Russian analyst Fyodor Lukyanov, scientific director of the Valdai Discussion Club, whose members regularly meet the Russian president, said Trump and Putin have few options.

"Almost the entire West is involved on the side of Ukraine, so all the traditional places where such things used to be held, such as Helsinki, Geneva and Vienna, are inappropriate," Lukyanov was quoted as saying by the state news agency TASS.

Battle developments

On the ground, several energy sites in Russia caught fire after dozens of Ukrainian drones attacked overnight, according to authorities and local media.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that 70 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed over six Russian regions, including Rostov and Volgograd in the southwest of the country.

Russia's air transport agency Rosaviatsia said it had suspended flights from Astrakhan and four other airports: Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Saratov and Ulyanovsk to ensure safety.

The agency later reported that most airports had resumed flights.

Kyiv has intensified its air strikes on Russian energy and military installations in recent months, in a campaign described as a response to Russia's continued bombing of Ukrainian cities and energy facilities.