The Kremlin has said Vladimir Putin was prepared with meet with Ukraine ‘if necessary’ as the ball begins moving for peace talks almost three years on from Russia’s invasion
Vladimir Putin is prepared to meet Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky for peace talks ‘if necessary’, the Kremlin has said.
Peace talks are set to commence as Donald Trump prepares to meet with the Russian warlord almost three years after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Proposals for talks so far have been met with fierce criticism over fears Ukraine was apparently locked out of discussion.
The criticism mounted further over the weekend as European leaders were told by the Trump administration they would not be a part of the talks. Now the Kremlin has hailed efforts so far as a success, but says a date for a meeting between Trump and Putin is yet to be set.
Ukraine meanwhile has warned that no deal can be made if it is not present for discussions. It comes as Russia launched another attack on the country last night, with drone attacks on the central city of Dolynska which left a mother and two children injured.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “Putin himself said that he would be ready to negotiate with Zelensky if necessary but the legal basis of agreements needs discussion considering the reality that Zelensky’s legitimacy can be questioned.” The two leasders have never met face to face to discuss the situation since the invasion on February 24, 2022 – with the three-year anniversary looming next week.
US and Russian representatives are meanwhile set to meet in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this week aiming to set the start for negotiations. Trump and Putin held a lengthy phone call on Wednesday, however, White House spokesperson Tammy Bruce said one call and one meeting was “not sufficient to establish enduring peace”.
Leaders in Europe meanwhile have expressed concerns about the direction of peace talks so far. Officials from several countries, including the UK, met in Paris on Monday over the issue, while Ireland’s prime minister said discussions would not work without Europe’s involvement and that Kyiv had to be “at the heart” of discussions.
Taoiseach Michael Martin said on Tuesday: “The fundamental point in any peace deal is that it has to be sustainable and has to be durable. For that to happen, there has to be very significant security guarantees to Ukraine and assurance that this deal will not be just a temporary one, and that Russia would continue its aggression.
“So I think the questions that are arising from all of this are quite fundamental to European countries and to the security of Europe more broadly. So there’s some distance to go yet before the shape of any peace deal emerges and yes, European states are worried in terms of the direction of travel.
“That said, everybody wants this war to end. It is a horrible war. Hundreds of thousands of young people have lost their lives as a result of this war, and if we can get a sustainable peace, that would be good for everybody, but Ukraine has to be at the heart of it. There cannot really be a peace deal without Ukraine.”
