According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Kremlin officials are merely pretending to want to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin; however, in reality, they are intentionally dragging their feet and persistently disavowing this meeting.
ISW analysts indicate that Russian officials have repeatedly postponed meetings between the Ukrainian and Russian leaders and have refused to engage in constructive negotiations to end the war.
Information on the Possible Meeting between Zelensky and Putin
During the third round of negotiations in Istanbul, Ukraine proposed that Russia organize a leaders' meeting facilitated by U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The head of the Russian delegation, Medinsky, expressed hopes for a meeting between Zelensky and Putin, emphasizing the need for thorough preparation for such a meeting. He stressed that the meeting must yield certain results, but did not specify what they would consist of.
The report that Russian officials may not be prepared for a meeting with the President of Ukraine and are postponing it provides grounds for further analysis and observation. The situation on the international stage remains tense, and a potential meeting of these prominent politicians could be significant in resolving the conflict.