The Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said there is a possibility of Vladimir Putin meeting with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
However, the head of the President’s Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak believes that this is yet another delay “because there are no specifics in it.”
Yermak said, “Peskov’s statement about a ‘possible’ meeting looks like another delay, because there are no specifics in it.
“Ukraine’s position is clear: we are ready for a meeting of leaders. Our partners, all those who truly value peace, support Ukraine’s position that a meeting of leaders should take place.”
Read more related news:
A ‘high probability’ of a major attack as Russia moves strategic bombers closer to Ukraine
He added, “if the question is only about preparation, then this is definitely not for us: we are ready right now.
“But the endless ‘we do not exclude’ without a specific date is unacceptable.”
Peskov claims Russia is ready for a meeting of leaders between the two sides, only after there has been preparatory work.
Last Friday Zelensky said that Russia is only attempting “to buy more time for the war” and Putin is aiming to delay the secondary sanctions which are due to start on 8 August.
President Zelensky said, “We hear statements from Russia, and if this is a signal of their serious readiness to end the war with dignity and establish a truly lasting peace, and not just attempts to buy more time for the war and a delay in sanctions, then Ukraine once again confirms its readiness to meet at the level of leaders at any time.”
Putin is showing no signs of ending the war and he is only prolonging it and the secondary sanctions due to start on Friday will probably have no effect on Russia as they have learned how to circumvent them.
Trump said that Russia has shown they are “pretty good at avoiding sanctions,” adding, “they’re wily characters.”
This week Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to be in Moscow on Wednesday to hold meetings to end the war in Ukraine.
