President-elect Donald Trump said he is planning a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he wants to end the "bloody mess" of the Ukraine war.

President-elect Trump said late Thursday that a meeting is in the works with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. Why it matters: Trump said on the campaign trail that he would swiftly end the nearly three-year-old war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office.

The president-elect had said Russia’s leader wanted to meet him to discuss the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said it welcomed such dialogue, but a meeting could occur only after Mr. Trump took office.

Ukraine expects high-level contact with the new U.S. administration immediately after Donald Trump takes office, including an eventual meeting between the U.S. president-elect and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy,

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has reported that Kyiv expects a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President-elect Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration on 20 January. Source: Heorhii Tykhyi,

US President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed plans for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling the ongoing war in Ukraine a bloody mess and vowing to find a resolution. But will his approach bring peace—or more controversy?