Zelensky Refuses to Meet Putin in Moscow and Sets Conditions for Peace Agreement with Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed today that it is impossible to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow or Belarus, emphasizing that any final peace agreement can only be reached through a direct meeting of the leaders of the countries.

Zelensky stated that he is ready for any form of a leaders' summit, but he set a fundamental condition of providing suitable conditions for the meeting.

He added that Ukraine would stop its strikes on Russian energy infrastructure if Russia ceased targeting its infrastructure, noting that this initiative came at the personal direction of U.S. President Donald Trump, considering it an opportunity rather than a final agreement.

For its part, Moscow confirmed that the issue of territory is not the only dispute with Ukraine;

Yuri Ushakov, the Kremlin's foreign policy advisor, stated that the disagreements between the two parties go beyond the issue of territory, without disclosing the other outstanding issues.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, emphasized that the disagreements are not limited to territory alone, although this issue remains fundamental for Moscow.

* What is the "Territory Issue"?

Russia demands territorial concessions from Ukraine as a condition for a ceasefire, particularly the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk and Luhansk.

According to Moscow, Ukraine must withdraw its forces from about 20% of the areas not controlled by the Russian army.

In contrast, Kyiv insists that it will not grant Moscow any territory not earned by Russia on the battlefield, and demands the withdrawal of Russian forces from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, which has been under Moscow's control since March 2022, just weeks after the war broke out.

Ukraine had announced its plan to sign a 20-point peace agreement, stressing that reaching an agreement on the "territory issue" and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are the most sensitive points.

* Context of the Negotiations

This announcement came after the first trilateral meeting between delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States in the UAE since the start of the war, and negotiations are expected to resume next week.

Zelensky clarifies his red lines:

No concessions on territory, no meeting in Moscow or Belarus, and readiness for a leaders' summit provided that suitable conditions are available, while Russia continues to be firm in its demand for territory as a condition to end the fighting.