Putin open to meet Zelenskyy in Moscow, Kyiv says ‘unacceptable’

Russian President Vladimir Putin says helium had “never ruled out” the anticipation of gathering with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy to extremity the 3 and fractional twelvemonth agelong war, but added that if nary bid woody was reached, Moscow would execute its aims militarily.

“Donald [Trump] asked maine for specified a meeting, I said: ‘Yes, it’s possible, fto Zelenskyy travel to Moscow’,” Putin said connected Wednesday astatine the extremity of his sojourn to China, adding that if specified a gathering was worthwhile.

“Is determination immoderate point? Let’s see,” said Putin successful Beijing, arsenic helium called for elections, questioning the legitimacy of Zelenskyy.

US President Donald Trump, who has been trying to broker a bid settlement, called for a one-on-one gathering betwixt Putin and Zelenskyy successful efforts to extremity the warfare aft holding talks with the Russian person successful Alaska successful mid-August.

But truthful far, nary advancement has been made connected this, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz connected Tuesday suggesting Geneva arsenic a imaginable venue.

Putin has besides demanded an extremity to martial instrumentality successful Ukraine and a referendum connected the territorial question, which person been rejected by Kyiv. Russia has reiterated that immoderate bid woody with Ukraine would person to effect successful its retention of the 4 regions it annexed successful 2022. In contrast, Kyiv has said determination would beryllium nary woody that included giving up its land.

‘Resolve each our tasks militarily’

However, successful effect to Putin’s comments, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said determination are “serious proposals” by 7 countries to big a gathering betwixt the 2 leaders, which Zelenskyy was acceptable for astatine “any constituent successful time”.

“Yet, Putin continues to messiness astir with everyone by making knowingly unacceptable proposals. Only accrued unit tin unit Russia to yet get superior astir the bid process,” Sybiha wrote.

Putin added that the Ukraine struggle could beryllium ended with a woody if communal consciousness prevailed and that determination was airy astatine the extremity of the tunnel, but cautioned that if not, past it would person to beryllium resolved militarily.

“Let’s spot however the concern develops. If not, past we volition person to resoluteness each our tasks militarily,” Putin told reporters erstwhile asked astir the prospects for a deal.

Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, said Putin provided an “insight” into however helium sees the warfare unfolding.

“He [Putin] believes that the United States medication of Donald Trump understands what Russia’s presumption is and that Russia would beryllium consenting to negociate an extremity to this conflict, but it’s not going to taxable to the demands that Ukraine is making and its ain information guarantees person to beryllium met,” Jabbari noted.

Trump to talk to Putin

Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump connected Wednesday announced that helium would beryllium speaking to Putin successful the coming days, adding that helium had nary messages to Putin connected ending the warfare due to the fact that “he knows wherever I basal and he’ll marque a determination 1 mode oregon another.”

“Whatever his determination is, we’ll either beryllium blessed astir it oregon unhappy astir it, and if we’re unhappy astir it, you’ll spot things happen,” Trump warned.

Putin connected Wednesday praised US envoy Steve Witkoff, saying the acme with Trump successful Alaska showed that Witkoff had conveyed Russia’s views accurately to the US administration. On Tuesday, helium said that the Trump medication has been listening to Russia’s stance connected the Ukraine war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives for a quality league astatine the extremity of his sojourn to China for the Tianjin SCO Summit and the subject parade to people the 80th day of the extremity of World War II, successful Beijing, China [Maxim Shemetov, Pool Photo via AP]

While Putin discusses imaginable meetings with Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian person hopes to talk to Trump connected Thursday to propulsion for caller sanctions connected Russia.

During a sojourn to the Danish capital, Copenhagen, Zelenskyy said they had “signals” from the US that they would “provide a backstop, and this is important”.

Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher, reporting from the White House, said Trump’s announcement of speaking to Putin is expected to interest a imaginable gathering betwixt Putin and Zelenskyy to sermon an extremity to the war, which Putin has rejected unless it is successful Moscow.

“What is absorbing is that the Elysee Palace successful Paris has announced that Zelenskyy volition conscionable with the alleged conjugation of the consenting either virtually oregon successful idiosyncratic connected Thursday, and the volition is that aft that meeting, determination volition beryllium a telephone telephone with Donald Trump.

“Now, nary confirmation yet from the White House, but that would surely suggest the series of events volition beryllium conjugation of the consenting gathering with Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy past chats to Trump, Trump past talks to Putin, and we find retired wherever that goes aft that.”

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies