Zelenskiy and Putin meeting: venue issue remains unresolved
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is planning to hold a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
According to Zelenskiy, the most effective way to resolve existing problems is through a personal conversation. For this reason, he has tasked his team with organizing such a meeting in Geneva.
However, the Kremlin's position is firm: the Russian side has stated that if Zelenskiy wants the meeting, he must visit Moscow. According to Kremlin representative Yuri Ushakov, this is Russia's proposal.
Zelenskiy has rejected the option of going to Moscow. The most complicated issue in the negotiations remains the matter of territory and troops.
Zelenskiy emphasized that Ukrainian forces would withdraw from Donbass only if Russia withdraws its forces beyond the border line. He also considered the possibility of deciding the status of the territories through a referendum.
Zelenskiy noted that the option of strengthening the front line and maintaining the current situation inevitably might be supported by Ukrainian society. Currently, there are two different proposals between the parties: Ukraine is proposing to hold the meeting in Geneva, while Russia insists that the negotiations should take place in Moscow.
The important issue is not the meeting location but the content of the negotiations: the movement of troops, security guarantees, and the parties taking realistic steps regarding territorial matters. The near future situation is clear: if the parties continue to argue over the meeting location, time will pass, and the situation at the front will influence political processes.
If the meeting takes place and at least technical agreements are reached, such as a ceasefire or prisoner exchange, this could open the way for major political discussions. In any case, under the current circumstances, the need to make long-term decisions is increasing.
