Moscow has dampened hopes for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky aimed at easing the ongoing conflict.
The Russian side emphasized that there is no prepared agenda for such a summit. While Zelensky accused Russia of doing everything to thwart the possibility of a meeting, U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged the challenges of bringing the two leaders together, likening it to mixing oil and water. He also called on NATO to provide robust security guarantees for Ukraine in any anticipated agreement.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed the lack of a prepared agenda for a potential summit between Putin and Zelensky, blaming Zelensky for rejecting all proposals. In an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker, Lavrov stated that Putin is willing to meet with Zelensky to discuss a possible peace agreement, contingent on having an appropriate agenda, which he claimed is currently nonexistent.
Lavrov remarked, “Putin is ready to meet with Zelensky when a summit agenda is established, and such an agenda is not prepared at all,” indicating that there are no immediate plans for a scheduled meeting.
In the meantime, Zelensky reiterated that Russia is doing everything it can to obstruct a meeting with Putin and urged Ukraine’s allies to impose new sanctions on Moscow if it shows no commitment to the peace process.
During a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Kyiv, Zelensky mentioned that they discussed security guarantees for Ukraine from other countries.
He clarified that these guarantees should resemble NATO’s Article Five, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Zelensky also urged his allies to pressure Russia to adopt a more constructive stance, even if only slightly.
Rutte, during his visit to Kyiv, called for strong security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure that Russia adheres to any peace agreements reached.
He stated, “Strong security guarantees are essential, and that is what we are currently working to define to ensure that Russia does not attempt to seize even a square kilometer of Ukrainian territory again.”
Rutte explained that these guarantees would encompass two types: the first involves strengthening Ukraine’s military to deter future attacks from Russia, and the second provides European and American security assurances. He added, “It is clear that the United States will be involved. These security guarantees must endure.”
Alarms sounded in Kyiv during Rutte’s visit, prompting local military authorities to advise residents to seek shelter due to the threat of Russian ballistic missile attacks, shortly after the press conference with Zelensky.
Russian Trap
Concerning the negotiations, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaia Kallas, stated that the possibility of Ukraine conceding territory to Russia in exchange for peace is a trap set by Putin.
Kallas noted that the Russian president is demanding concessions from Ukraine in return for halting the conflict, but fulfilling his demands would amount to rewarding the aggressor. She asserted that recent discussions regarding offering concessions to Putin are precisely the trap Russia wants to ensnare us in.
Meeting Challenges
Furthermore, President Trump acknowledged the significant difficulty in convening a meeting between Putin and Zelensky. He told reporters in Washington, “We will see if Putin and Zelensky can work together. You know, it’s somewhat like mixing oil with water. They don’t agree much for obvious reasons.” When asked whether such a meeting would require his in-person attendance, Trump replied, “We’ll see.”
Field Developments
On the ground, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces had taken control of three towns in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, bringing them closer to the Ukrainian defensive line in the area where fighting is ongoing. The ministry reported via Telegram that Russia had captured the towns of Katerynivka, Volodymyrivka, and Rosyn Yar.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported that air defenses managed to destroy or disable 46 out of 55 Russian drones launched during a large-scale aerial assault yesterday.
According to a statement released by the Ukrainian Air Force on Facebook, the attack began at 10:30 PM local time and involved attack aircraft and decoy drones launched from multiple locations within Russia, including Shatalovo, Kursk, Millerovo, Primorsk-Akhtarsk, and the Hvardiiske area in the Crimean Peninsula.