Moscow says a meeting between the Russian and U.S. presidents would be “extremely important” for resolving the conflict; Trump expresses willingness to meet Putin as European leaders voice skepticism about Moscow’s intentions.
The Kremlin today described a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump as “extremely important” for achieving a peaceful settlement in Ukraine.
“Such contacts would be extremely important in the context of resolving the situation in Ukraine. Their significance is hard to overstate,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during his daily press briefing.
Putin, who has proposed that Kyiv resume direct talks—stalled since 2022—rejected an invitation from his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to meet personally in Istanbul, a proposal also supported by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump said on Friday that he is willing to meet with Putin “as soon as we can arrange it,” and added that he understood why the Russian president chose not to attend the Istanbul talks without him being present.
“If I wasn’t going, it was guaranteed Putin wouldn’t go, and he didn’t. I can understand that, but we’ll make it happen,” Trump said.
At the same time, Peskov emphasized that such meetings must be carefully prepared and “must be productive.”
“Without a doubt, this meeting is necessary,” he added, both for the normalization of bilateral relations and to address regional and international matters, “including the crisis in Ukraine.”
The head of the Russian delegation in Istanbul is Putin’s cultural advisor, Vladimir Medinsky—a choice that has disappointed not only Ukraine but also Western diplomatic officials.
“Putin Is Not Serious About Peace”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Friday in Tirana that it has become clear that Vladimir Putin “is not serious about peace” and “has been stalling,” following the Russian president’s decision not to attend the peace negotiations in Istanbul.
Starmer made his remarks upon arriving at the sixth summit of the European Political Community (EPC), focused on the armed conflict in Ukraine and the possibility of renewed talks toward a ceasefire.
The Labour leader stressed, “It’s fundamental that we maintain absolute unity with our allies. We’ll work on that again today, to make clear that there must be a ceasefire, but also that if there isn’t, we will act together on sanctions.”
“For me, this is clear evidence that Putin is not serious about peace. He’s stalling. That’s why today is such an important opportunity to work with colleagues and make sure we’re fully united,” he insisted.
In Istanbul today, the Ukrainian and Russian delegations are holding a meeting mediated by Turkey—the first such talks since 2022—on a possible end to the war in Ukraine.
Keep Independent Journalism Alive
In a world flooded with noise, independent journalism is more vital than ever. We work hard to bring you clear, accurate, and unbiased international news — free from corporate or political influence.If you believe in the power of honest reporting, please consider making a donation. Every contribution, big or small, helps us stay independent and keep the world informed.
Support us via PayPalYour support makes a difference.
