Putin Does Not Rule Out Possibility of Meeting With Zelensky – Kremlin
A general view shows the St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin’s Spasskaya Tower on a sunny autumn day, in Moscow, Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin does not rule out the possibility of a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.“Putin does not rule out the possibility of holding such a meeting, but he believes that any top-level meeting must be well-prepared so that it can finalize the groundwork that should first be carried out at the expert level. At the moment, it cannot be said that the expert work, so to speak, is in full swing. Unfortunately, it is not,” he said. Peskov noted that Russia maintains its interest and readiness for such negotiations. “All our positions have been communicated; the relevant drafts, let’s say the main provisions, were handed over to the Ukrainian side in writing. Yes, these are initial positions, and further discussion is needed. That is the state of affairs at the moment,” he added.It is important to work in a discrete mode in order to achieve the Ukrainian settlement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.”The topic of Ukrainian settlement was deeply discussed [at the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump], but we believe that it is completely inappropriate to give out any details, because in the interests of the settlement it is now important to conduct work in a discrete mode,” Peskov told reporters.The conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska was necessary, timely and constructive, Peskov said.”In general, I want to confirm that the conversation was necessary, and the president himself spoke about it, President Putin. It was timely, it was informative and very constructive,” Peskov told reporters. Kremlin is deliberately not disclosing all the details of the Putin-Trump conversation in Alaska, Peskov said.”The topic of the Ukrainian settlement was discussed in depth, but we believe that it is completely inappropriate to disclose any details,” Peskov added.Vladimir Putin will visit Tianjin and Beijing as part of his trip to China, Peskov said.”The majority of [Putin’s] trip will take place in China, where there will be a part in the city of Tianjin, where there will be a part dedicated to the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organization], the SCO summit and ‘SCO Plus,’ then the part in Beijing, dedicated to bilateral contacts between President Xi [Jinping] and President Putin and the celebrations on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people in the war, resistance to Japan and the end of World War II,” Peskov told reporters.Putin will also hold many bilateral meetings on the sidelines of these events, the spokesman also said, adding that the Russian president’s work program in China is expected to start in the second half of August 31.Ahead of his visit to China, Putin gave an interview to Chinese media, Peskov said, adding that Kremlin expects it to be published overnight.Russia values its partnership relations with China, Peskov said.”If we talk about our relations with China, then these relations are of a special, privileged, strategic partnership. And we value these relations, they are really partnerships,” Peskov told reporters.The full potential of the bilateral cooperation between Russia and China has not yet been fully seen, Peskov added.”The volume of these relations [with China] is difficult to overestimate now. And at the same time, we and our Chinese comrades agree that the potential of our bilateral partnership is still far from being fully developed,” Peskov said.
WorldPutin-Trump Meeting: Political Goodwill for Peace15 August, 07:30 GMT
