MOSCOW – The Kremlin stated on Friday that a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy could only occur as the final step in securing a peace agreement, downplaying the likelihood of such a meeting taking place by the end of August.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that a leaders’ summit must serve to confirm terms negotiated by experts, rather than initiate talks. “A summit meeting can and should put the final point on a settlement and cement the modalities and agreements worked out by experts. It is impossible to do it the other way round,” he said.
Peskov added that completing the necessary negotiations within 30 days was unlikely. “Is it possible to go through such a complex process in 30 days? Well, obviously, it is unlikely.”
Ukraine has argued that a direct meeting between the two leaders is necessary to break the deadlock in peace talks. Since mid-May, the two sides have met three times in brief negotiation sessions held in Turkey. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Russia had recently shown willingness to discuss the possibility of a summit.
“Now, in talks with us, they have begun to discuss it. This is already progress towards some kind of meeting format,” Zelenskiy told journalists.
Following the most recent round of peace talks on Wednesday, which lasted just 40 minutes, a Ukrainian delegate said that Kyiv had proposed an August summit. The proposal was tied to a 50-day deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, who last week warned of new sanctions on Russia and on countries purchasing its exports unless a deal is reached by early September.
Peskov reiterated the depth of the diplomatic challenge, describing the negotiating positions of Russia and Ukraine as “diametrically opposed.” He added, “It is unlikely that they can be brought together overnight. This will require very complex diplomatic work.”
As international pressure intensifies, the prospect of a high-level summit remains uncertain, with both sides entrenched in conflicting positions and timelines.