In Russia, they named the condition for a meeting between Putin and Zelensky

A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is possible only if both leaders are genuinely striving for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

This was stated by State Duma deputy Alexey Chepa.

“To prepare such a meeting, there has to be the will for it. But Zelensky does not want it. The demands he makes today contradict the agreements that were developed by the groups in Istanbul, as well as the understandings reached between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. Zelensky is voicing a position imposed on him by a group of European countries. And it is unclear what could even be discussed at a potential meeting,” the deputy explained.

Chepa emphasized that a possible meeting between Putin and Zelensky should contribute to genuine peace and guarantee that the conflict will not be repeated — something that requires aligned positions.

“There must be a real desire for a peaceful solution. But Zelensky only listens to the instructions of certain forces. And these are forces of war, which started this conflict and continue to fuel it,” the politician believes.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, after contacts with both Putin and Zelensky, stated that they are not ready for a meeting. According to him, Turkey’s leadership has always maintained that the conflict in Ukraine can be resolved through negotiations, and therefore continues to take steps to advance this process.