Kremlin dismisses Ukraine push for direct talk between Putin, Zelensky
(MENAFN) The Kremlin has dismissed Ukraine’s push for a direct meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky, calling it premature due to a lack of progress on key issues. This statement followed the latest round of peace talks held in Istanbul, which lasted under an hour.
Although the meeting didn’t result in major breakthroughs, both sides agreed on several humanitarian matters, such as prisoner swaps, the return of civilian detainees, and the recovery of soldiers’ remains. Russia also proposed short-term ceasefires lasting 24 to 48 hours to assist in evacuating the wounded and retrieving bodies. Additionally, Moscow suggested forming three online working groups to address political, humanitarian, and military matters.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that while no major developments were expected, the agreements on humanitarian issues were a positive step. “This is an extremely important humanitarian aspect which should be on the agenda,” he noted, adding that Russia had presented a practical and focused plan meant to deliver real results.
However, Peskov criticized Ukraine’s push for a direct Putin-Zelensky summit, saying that such a meeting should only come after meaningful progress at lower levels. “They are trying to put the cart before the horse. Work needs to be done first, and only then can the heads of state formalize what has been achieved,” he said.
Russia’s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, also pointed out that the two sides still hold “diametrically opposed” views on crucial issues, as reflected in their exchanged draft documents.
Despite the ongoing deadlock, Moscow remains open to a fourth round of negotiations in the future.
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