Russia pours cold water on potential three-way meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelensky

Moscow, Russia - The Kremlin sees an early three-way meeting between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his US and Ukrainian counterparts, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, as unlikely.

A three-way summit between US President Donald Trump (l.), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (c.), and Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely, the Kremlin said.
A three-way summit between US President Donald Trump (l.), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (c.), and Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely, the Kremlin said.  © Collage: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP & REUTERS & Alexander NEMENOV / AFP

Putin is ready for contacts at the highest level, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow on Tuesday, according to a report by the Interfax news agency.

"But he emphasizes that such contacts should be the result of agreements reached beforehand at the technical level."

Trump has raised the possibility of a three-way summit in his efforts to end the war in Ukraine, which has been going on for more than three years.

Russian-American ballet dancer Ksenia Karelina freed in prisoner exchange
Russia Russian-American ballet dancer Ksenia Karelina freed in prisoner exchange

Despite the lack of a breakthrough at Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul on Monday, Peskov said that there were important results in the humanitarian field. At their second meeting since mid-May, the warring parties agreed on another large exchange of prisoners and the return of soldiers' bodies.

Moscow now expects Ukraine to respond to the Russian list of demands, Peskov said. These include the permanent ceding of Ukrainian territories – which is unacceptable to Kyiv.

The international community meanwhile has to recognize Russia's territorial conquests, stop military support for Ukraine, and lift sanctions against Russia.

Possible compromises on these demands should be discussed in the negotiation process, but not debated publicly, Peskov said.

Cover photo: Collage: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP & REUTERS & Alexander NEMENOV / AFP

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