(CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday he was ready for a face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump over the dangers of a new arms race.

Putin said Trump had called for such a meeting several times and expressed his concerns on the issue, including in their most recent phone call.

"I agree with him, and to have a meaningful discussion, our ministries of foreign affairs and experts should get involved and work closely together, and of course a meeting in person is necessary," Putin told reporters at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Qingdao, China.

In April, the White House confirmed that Trump and Putin discussed the possibility of meeting at the White House "in the 'not-too-distant-future'" during a phone call the previous month.

"As soon as the US side is ready, this meeting shall take place, of course, fitting my working schedule. We did not discuss a specific location but many countries offer their support, including Austria," said Putin, who visited Austria earlier in the week.

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