Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has proposed holding a meeting with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow, Agence France-Presse reports. According to one source, Zelenskyy has declined to travel to Russia’s capital.
Putin’s offer positions Russia, despite its 160,000 war crimes and killings of 13,800 Ukrainian civilians, back at the center of the diplomatic process, a move criticized by many as legitimizing the aggressor. Previously, the US maintained a strict stance, avoiding official negotiations with Russia due to its atrocities. Yet Putin has already secured a diplomatic “privilege” in the form of a separate bilateral meeting with Trump in Alaska.
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Negotiations without preconditions
On 18 August, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrived at the White House, where he was welcomed by US President Trump. The leaders first held a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, followed by talks with European leaders and NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The discussions focused on security guarantees for Ukraine, details of which remain largely undisclosed, though they may include a $90 billion US package for air defense systems and aircraft.
Zelenskyy stated that he is ready for a bilateral meeting with Putin without any preconditions.
Russia does not reject talks
Following the meetings, Trump announced that preparations had begun for a potential meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. He later called Putin directly, TASS reports. Subsequently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared that Russia does not refuse either bilateral or trilateral negotiations with Ukraine regarding peace.
