No talks planned between Zelenskyy and Putin, Kremlin says
Dmitry Peskov (photo: Getty Images)
In Moscow, officials say that a phone conversation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin is not currently being discussed, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian media.
Peskov commented on reports by Western media suggesting that talks with White House head Donald Trump had opened the possibility of a phone conversation between Putin and Zelenskyy.
"Such a conversation is not being discussed at the moment," the Kremlin spokesperson said.
Peskov stated that a phone conversation between Putin and President Trump would take place "in the near future."
In addition, Peskov announced Russia's condition for a ceasefire, saying that for this to happen, "Kyiv must withdraw the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Donbas."
What preceded this
Earlier, Fox News, citing sources, reported that Zelenskyy may hold his first conversation with Putin in five years.
According to the source, this could be facilitated by yesterday's meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago.
"Sunday's talks between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy could pave the way for the first phone conversation in more than five years between Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin," the outlet reported.
The president last spoke in the summer of 2020, and since then, the Ukrainian leader has repeatedly tried to arrange a new contact, but the Kremlin refused.
As reported by Axios, Zelenskyy said he was ready to meet Putin in any format, anywhere in the world, except in Russia or Belarus. Putin, however, has repeatedly rejected such a proposal.
