Zelenskyy writes letter inviting face-to-face talks, Putin says willing to compromise, Trump: settle it sooner
While U.S.-Iran negotiations remain unresolved, a sudden breakthrough has emerged in the Ukraine-Russia peace talks.
The trigger was Zelenskyy's public appeal to Putin, urging both leaders to hold a direct meeting to discuss an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia. The day before, Zelenskyy had stressed that Ukraine-Russia negotiations are urgent and must not wait until the U.S. finishes dealing with Middle East conflicts—they must be pushed forward immediately.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that the UK, France, and Germany are poised to take the lead in mediating the Ukraine-Russia talks, replacing the United States, which is absent due to its involvement in Middle East conflicts. These three nations believe this is Europe’s moment to step up, and given recent successes by Ukrainian drones, they should seize the opportunity to secure more favorable terms for Ukraine.
However, Trump clearly won’t allow Europe to succeed. Immediately after Zelenskyy sent his open letter, Trump responded that he would be very pleased to see a meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia, urging both sides to make compromises and quickly finalize the time and location. Of course, Trump also took care to emphasize America’s role in advancing peace.
Regarding Zelenskyy’s proposal, Putin’s stance is subtle. He stated that Russia is naturally willing to make concessions—but the issue lies in Ukraine’s lack of trust. Therefore, the immediate priority is to make Ukraine believe in Russia’s sincerity.
Putin reiterated that Ukraine is free to join the EU or other economic blocs, but Russia will never allow Ukraine to join any Western military alliance—that is his red line.
On the matter of meeting Zelenskyy, Putin said Russia is ready to meet with Ukraine’s “legitimate representatives” and sign agreements. However, the legitimacy of the Kyiv government should be determined by lawyers and Ukrainian voters. In other words, the discussion about holding a meeting should wait until after Ukraine’s next election.
On the surface, Putin’s tone appears to have softened significantly—but in reality, his position has remained unchanged. On issues raised by the U.S. and Ukraine, he consistently adopts a stance of “not initiating, not rejecting.” After all, U.S. and Ukrainian efforts to push for negotiations are driven by certain political motives, while the real battle still unfolds on the battlefield.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1867134890545152/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author