Kremlin states conditions for possible Putin-Zelensky meeting

(MENAFN) The Kremlin has indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not opposed to a direct meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, but such an encounter would only be appropriate once substantial groundwork in diplomacy has already been completed, according to officials.

Following his recent summit with Putin in Alaska, US President Donald Trump encouraged the two leaders to engage in face-to-face talks.

During a Friday briefing, the Kremlin emphasized that Putin remains receptive to the idea of a meeting with Zelensky. “He does not rule out the possibility of holding such a meeting, but believes that any summit meeting should be well prepared so that it can finalize the work that must first be carried out at an expert level,” a spokesperson stated.

The spokesperson acknowledged, however, that preparations for such a gathering are not “very active,” though Moscow continues to demonstrate “interest and readiness for negotiations.”

It was also stressed that the discussions on peace initiatives, following Putin’s talks with Trump in Alaska, are to be kept private. “We are deliberately not disclosing all the details of the conversation between the two presidents, which took place in Alaska,” the Kremlin noted, adding that “the topic of Ukrainian settlement was discussed in depth.”

Reports suggest that Trump has recently become more impatient with both Ukraine and the European Union, criticizing them for placing unrealistic demands on negotiations. He has reportedly urged Zelensky to “show some flexibility” in order to move peace efforts forward.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed last week that Moscow had already agreed to compromises on several matters raised during the Alaska meeting between Trump and Putin.

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