Kremlin Says Putin Does Not Exclude Zelenskyy Meeting

(MENAFN) Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains open to a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, provided that extensive preparations are completed in advance.

“I would remind you of President Putin's stance. He doesn't exclude the possibility of holding such a meeting, but believes that any high-level encounter must be well-prepared so that preliminary work done by experts could be finalized there,” Peskov stated during a Moscow press briefing.

Despite a lack of progress in the ongoing Ukraine-related negotiations, Russia continues to express interest and readiness to engage in talks, the spokesman added.

“It can't be said that expert discussions are flourishing. Unfortunately, that's not the case. But we remain interested and ready for such negotiations,” Peskov affirmed.

He noted that Moscow has formally communicated its “request-based position” to Kyiv, emphasizing the need for further dialogue.

Regarding a recent conversation between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, Peskov said details remain intentionally undisclosed to support the settlement process.

“We consciously refrain from disclosing details of the Alaskan meeting between the two presidents. The topic of Ukrainian conflict resolution was extensively discussed, but we deem it inappropriate to disclose any details. For effective settlement, it's crucial to proceed discreetly,” Peskov explained.

He described the meeting as productive, citing Putin’s own assessment: “it was timely, substantive, and very constructive.”

On August 15, Putin and Trump met at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Force Base in Alaska for nearly three hours, focusing mainly on ending the conflict in Ukraine. Trump later called the summit “extremely productive” and announced plans for a bilateral Putin-Zelenskyy summit, followed by a trilateral meeting including himself.

When asked about Putin’s upcoming visit to China, Peskov confirmed it begins Sunday. The Russian president will first attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, followed by ceremonies in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan.

“Numerous bilateral meetings are scheduled during the visit,” Peskov said.

He highlighted the significance of Sino-Russian relations, describing them as a “special privileged strategic partnership” of immense value.

“Regarding our relations with China, they are characterized by a special privileged strategic partnership, and we value these ties greatly. It's hard to overestimate the scope of these relationships,” he said.

Both capitals agree that the full potential of their partnership remains largely unrealized. Peskov underscored this, stating: “We share the view that the potential of our partnership is far from being fully realized.”

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