Putin and Zelensky meeting possible only under one condition

The possibility of face-to-face negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to end the armed conflict is once again on the agenda. On May 20, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could take place only if clear agreements are reached in advance.

“No results — no meeting”

According to Peskov, the two leaders may only meet if their delegations reach concrete agreements beforehand:

“We see such a face-to-face meeting as the result of the negotiation process. But it’s not just about signatures and formalities — it is also crucial who from the Ukrainian side has the authority to approve such documents.”

From Moscow to Istanbul — a test of seriousness

On May 16, Russia sent a delegation led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky to Istanbul for bilateral talks. This step was not taken seriously by Ukraine. According to Zelensky, if Putin himself does not attend the negotiations, it means the Kremlin is not committed to the process.

Despite this, Ukraine agreed to participate in the talks. The Economist reported that during the Istanbul discussions, the Russian side issued several threats, including intentions to occupy the Kharkiv and Sumy regions.

Putin rejected the 30-day ceasefire

Previously, Putin rejected the 30-day ceasefire proposal offered by Ukraine and the European Union. He suggested returning to the Istanbul negotiation format but did not attend personally.

Zamin.uz editorial note:
For now, a meeting between the two leaders depends solely on achieving clear results at the delegation level. Meanwhile, the war continues on the battlefield. Do you believe that a meeting between Putin and Zelensky could lead to peace?

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