The Kremlin said on Wednesday, August 27 that any meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, claimed by kyiv and Washington, should be “well prepared”, suggesting that, therefore, it was not on the Moscow agenda.
“The leaders of the negotiation groups (Russians and Ukrainians, an editor’s note) are in contact,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, during his daily informative session, saying that he cannot announce a date for future conversations between the two countries.
“Any other high -level contact, or at the highest level, must be well prepared to be fruitful,” he added.
“There is no planned meeting”
President Donald Trump said on August 18 that he had launched the preparations for a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents, with the agreement of the belligerents, but it was much less affirmative from then on.
Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky don’t love each other, “said Donald Trump on Tuesday from Washington.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov already expected Donald Trump’s hopes last Friday, accusing Volodymyr Zelensky to block such a meeting of this type and stating that there was “no planned meeting.”
Solid safety guarantees
The Kremlin also indicated on Wednesday that Moscow saw with an “unfavorable” eye of the discussions about a possible shipment of European troops in Ukrainian soil in case of a peace agreement with Ukraine, while Kyiv wishes to guarantee the safety of its western allies to deter Russia to attack it again.
“There is no European army, there are only armies of specific countries, which are mostly NATO members,” said Dmitri Peskov on Wednesday. Moscow considers the expansion of NATO on its borders as one of the “deep causes” that led to the conflict.
On a visit on Friday in kyiv, NATO general secretary Mark Rutte asked Western allies to grant “solid security guarantees” for Ukraine, in case of a peace agreement with Moscow.
According to Mark Rutte, two forms of guarantees are expected: a strengthening of the Ukrainian army or a more direct participation of European countries and the United States. Alternatives that Russia opposes categorically.
Source: BFM TV
