Ambitious plans for a potential summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin appear to be stalling, despite recent optimism from former US President Donald Trump, who claimed such a meeting could occur within weeks. Multiple locations have been suggested as possible venues, including Geneva, Vienna, Budapest, and Istanbul. However, the Kremlin has provided a more cautious and vague interpretation of the discussions, indicating that any increased diplomatic engagement might only involve ministers rather than a full presidential summit. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz added to the uncertainty by questioning Putin’s willingness to attend, emphasizing the need for persuasion. As the initial diplomatic excitement subsides, the likelihood of a direct meeting between the two leaders seems to be diminishing rapidly.
On the surface, Moscow has expressed openness to bilateral talks, but in reality, it has attached preconditions that are likely unacceptable to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Putin would meet Zelensky only if all issues requiring „highest-level” consideration were resolved beforehand—a deliberately vague and uncompromising stance historically used by the Kremlin to resist Ukrainian proposals. Additionally, recent claims about Russia accepting security guarantees for Ukraine have been revealed to align with Moscow’s 2022 proposals, which Kyiv had already rejected. These guarantees would involve Russia having veto power over military interventions in defense of Ukraine and banning Western troops from being stationed there, effectively leaving Ukraine vulnerable to future aggression.
Meanwhile, President Zelensky has set his own conditions, insisting that any meeting with Putin must follow agreements on security guarantees from Kyiv’s allies—guarantees that would undoubtedly involve Western support and exclude Russia, making them unacceptable to Moscow. As both sides remain entrenched in their positions, each accuses the other of undermining peace efforts. The diplomatic deadlock highlights the deep-seated tensions and mutually exclusive demands, suggesting that a Putin-Zelensky summit remains highly improbable without significant concessions from either party. The situation underscores the ongoing complexity of achieving a viable peace process in the conflict.
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