The Kremlin spokesman said there is little chance that upcoming talks between Russia and Ukraine will end the war.
“Let’s be honest: the issue of a Ukrainian settlement is so complicated that even reaching agreements on prisoner exchanges or the return of bodies is already a success,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “We have no reason to expect any magical breakthroughs – such outcomes are hardly likely in the current situation.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday that Ukrainian and Russian officials would meet in Turkey on Wednesday. Russian state media outlet TASS reported that the talks would occur on Thursday.
Zelensky said, “The agenda from our side is clear: the return of prisoners of war, the return of children abducted by Russia, and the preparation of a leaders’ meeting.”
President Donald Trump has pushed Moscow and Kiev to end the war in Ukraine. The two sides have met twice in recent months and agreed to prisoner swaps and exchanges of bodies of fallen soldiers.
However, the fighting in Ukraine has increased. Moscow is conducting an offensive and taking more territory. Ukraine has stepped up long-range attacks inside Russia.
Kiev and Moscow have not made progress on crucial issues that need to be resolved to end the war. Moscow is demanding Kiev recognize and withdraw from the four territories annexed by Russia. Ukraine says it will retake all of its territory, including the Crimean Peninsula.
The Kremlin has maintained it is unwilling to compromise on territory, and if Kiev will not agree to cede the land, Russia will take it by force.
In addition to the Russia-Ukraine talks, President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump have held several phone calls. In recent days, both the Kremlin and the White House have expressed openness to a summit between the leaders in China.
Russian spokesman Peskov was asked if Putin and Trump could meet later this year. “We are preparing for a trip to Beijing. It is indeed on the agenda of the head of state. But we have not heard that President Trump is going to Beijing as well.” He continued, “If it so happens that he will also be there, it can’t be ruled out that a question will come up about whether it will be reasonable to hold a meeting.”
When Trump was asked by reporters about meeting Putin in Beijing, he said, “Well, we have a lot of meetings possible. And I’ve been invited by a lot of people, and we’ll make those decisions pretty soon.”
