Trump 'could meet' Putin for Ukraine talks in Turkey

US President Donald Trump offered on Wednesday to head to Turkey for talks on ending the Ukraine conflict, so long as his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin also showed up.

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The Kremlin was silent for a third day running on who would represent Moscow at the highly anticipated talks, which would be the first direct peace negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian officials in more than three years.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who challenged Putin to meet him in person in Turkey, said he would decide his next “steps” based on who will represent Russia at the talks.

“I am waiting to see who will arrive from Russia. Then I will decide what steps Ukraine should take,” Zelensky told his evening address on Wednesday.

Putin himself proposed direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv at the weekend, a counter-offer after Ukraine and Europe called for a 30-day full and unconditional ceasefire.

“I don't know that he (Putin) would be there if I'm not there,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he flew from Saudi Arabia to Qatar.

“I know he would like me to be there, and that’s a possibility. If we could end the war, I'd be thinking about that,” he said.

Trump noted that he was already scheduled to be in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday on the third and final leg of his Gulf tour.