Putin and Zelensky meeting: One condition from the Kremlin.
The meeting between the two leaders, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, could only have one purpose: to finalize a peace agreement.
According to RIA Novosti, amidst intense international attention to the negotiation process and conflict resolution, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders is entirely possible. However, it would only aim to finalize the last agreements. Dmitry Peskov emphasized that this is the core objective of the high-level talks.
Speaking to the "Vesti" news agency, Peskov said: "The most important factor is the goal of the talks. What is the purpose of our meeting? President Putin has stated that he is ready to meet in Moscow at any time. It is important that there is a legitimate reason and that it yields tangible results. The meeting can only take place with the aim of finalizing agreements."
In addition, the Kremlin is always open to welcoming international envoys. Peskov confirmed that Moscow is ready to negotiate with US envoy Steven Witkoff. They also welcomed the US President's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. These meetings could take place "as early as tomorrow." However, the specific schedule for discussing the peace process remains unclear.
Regarding the situation on the ground, Peskov commented on the attack by Ukrainian armed forces on Syzran. He affirmed that the completion of the objectives of the Special Military Operation will protect Russia from security threats from Ukraine.
Since the beginning of this year, delegations from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States have held three rounds of negotiations. The most recent round took place in Geneva, Switzerland, from February 17 to 18. A Kremlin spokesperson had previously emphasized that the stagnation of the peace process was due to the situation in the Middle East.
Another aspect that was also brought up in the context of the negotiations was the issue of culture and language. Earlier, at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum on April 18, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated the position of Volodymyr Zelensky in 2014. At that time, Zelensky had called for granting the right to use the Russian language to the people of the Donbass region.
