US PresidentDonald Trump stirred fresh speculation on Thursday when he told reporters in Abu Dhabi that he’s “probably” going back to Washington, DC, though he hinted with a smile that he might have other plans.“We’ll be leaving tomorrow morning, as you know, almost destination unknown,” Trump said during a press briefing in the UAE capital, the final public stop of his Middle East tour. “I’m probably going back to Washington, DC,” he added.His vague statement has fuelled rumours that Trump may make an unannounced appearance at the Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Istanbul, which have been the subject of intense international focus. While there were whispers about a possible drop-in, hopes of his presence seemed to dim after Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled the Kremlin’s official negotiating team—conspicuously excluding himself.Trump had earlier linked his potential visit to whether Putin would personally attend the talks. “Obviously, he wasn’t going to go. He was going to go, but he thought I was going to go. He wasn’t going if I wasn’t there,” Trump explained during an earlier stop in Qatar.He also stressed the need for both leaders to come face to face to end the bloodshed. “And I don’t believe anything is going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together. But we’re going to have to get it solved because too many people are dying,” he added.Despite all the ambiguity, Trump’s comment, “almost destination unknown,” left officials and media guessing. Social media users were quick to speculate about where Trump might be headed. Some believe he’s being vague on purpose, either for security reasons or to keep his options open, while others think it could be a pressure tactic aimed at Putin.
