Moscow Reveals Putin's Condition for Meeting Zelensky: A Final Agreement to End the War

The Kremlin confirmed that any potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will only occur within the framework of reaching final agreements to end the war, as Turkish efforts continue to revive the negotiation process between Moscow and Kyiv.

Kremlin Sets Condition for Putin and Zelensky Meeting

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin will only meet his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky if the goal of the meeting is to reach final arrangements related to the war.

He added that Moscow believes any meeting must have a “clear and fruitful goal” represented by the signing of real agreements, not just a political gathering.

Peskov: Moscow is Ready but with Clear Conditions

Peskov clarified in statements to Russian television that President Putin is ready to hold a meeting “at any time” provided there is a real reason for the gathering.

He said: “The important thing is the goal of this meeting, and why they should meet? The meeting must be fruitful and can only take place for the purpose of signing agreements.”

He pointed out that any negotiations must be preceded by serious preparations.

Moscow Accuses Kyiv of Lacking Political Will

The Kremlin spokesman confirmed that any progress in the negotiation process requires what he described as “political will” from the Ukrainian side.

He added that Russia has not yet seen clear indications of Kyiv's readiness to engage in serious negotiations to end the war.

Turkey Moves to Revive Negotiations Between Russia and Ukraine

In a related context, the Turkish presidency announced that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte during a meeting in Ankara that Turkey is working to relaunch negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

Ankara seeks to bring the leaderships of both countries to the table as part of new diplomatic efforts to stop the war that has been ongoing since February 2022.

Kyiv Requests to Host a Summit Meeting

For its part, Ukraine reported that it has requested Turkey to host a leaders' meeting with Russia in an attempt to reopen direct negotiation channels between the two parties.

Turkey's Position and Its Relations with Both Parties

Turkey continues to maintain balanced relations with both Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of the war, making it a potential mediator in several previous negotiation rounds, and is now seeking to leverage this role to revive the peace process.