Trump confirms Putin-Zelensky meeting
(MENAFN)
U.S. President Donald Trump has asserted that a direct meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky is inevitable, though he offered no specific timeline for when it might occur. His comments come amid ongoing tensions and stalled negotiations over the Ukraine conflict.
“It’s going to happen, but it should have happened three months ago. It’s going to happen,” Trump told reporters on Friday when questioned about the prospects of the two leaders meeting—potentially with his own involvement.
Since assuming office in January, Trump has advocated for a negotiated end to the conflict. Earlier this month, he warned that he would impose harsh secondary tariffs—potentially reaching 100%—on countries that continue trading with Russia if a peace deal is not reached by early September.
Russian officials maintain that they are open to diplomacy, but only if it leads to a resolution that addresses the conflict’s deeper causes and national security issues. Their conditions include Ukraine remaining neutral, acknowledging current territorial boundaries, and agreeing to both demilitarization and what Russia terms “denazification.”
Zelensky has consistently voiced his willingness to engage in direct talks with Putin. Ukrainian representatives reiterated this position during recent negotiations in Istanbul, calling such a summit a crucial step toward ending the war. However, Moscow insists that serious progress must first be made by negotiating teams before any high-level meeting can take place.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has emphasized that a summit between Putin and Zelensky should serve to finalize agreements, not initiate them. “It is impossible to do the opposite,” he stated.
Russian officials have also questioned Zelensky’s current legal standing as president, noting that his five-year term ended in May 2024. Zelensky has postponed elections under martial law, citing ongoing hostilities. This situation has raised concerns in Moscow that any potential agreements signed by him could later be disputed.
Putin said last month that he is open to a meeting with Zelensky, but only at the final stage of negotiations. Moscow has further demanded that Ukraine suspend martial law and conduct national elections within 100 days as part of any long-term ceasefire arrangement.
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