Putin and Zelensky Remain at Odds Over Preconditions for Summit

U.S. President Donald Trump is attempting to mediate and arrange a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but both sides remain far apart in their views.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized on the 21st (local time) that President Putin is ready to meet with President Zelenskyy, but that the issue of Zelenskyy’s legitimacy must be resolved first.

Russia is not fundamentally opposed to a summit with Ukraine, but pointed out that President Zelenskyy postponed elections under martial law after his term ended in May last year, raising questions about his legal legitimacy.

Minister Lavrov also dismissed the possibility of holding the summit in the short term, saying on the 19th, "Talks are not prepared for the media or broadcasts, but must start at the expert level and be thoroughly prepared."

Ukraine, on the other hand, has stated that security guarantees take precedence over a summit. President Zelenskyy emphasized in a statement that he could hold bilateral talks with President Putin once the allied countries reach an agreement on Ukraine’s security guarantees.

Expectations for substantive negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine grew after President Trump announced on the 18th that he had begun coordinating a summit between President Putin and President Zelenskyy. However, in reality, little progress is being made between the parties involved.

President Trump met with President Putin in Alaska on the 15th, with President Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House on the 18th, and again held a phone call with President Putin.

European leaders who participated in the White House summit commented that a meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy could be held within two weeks, recommending Geneva, Switzerland as the venue and raising expectations for the Russia-Ukraine summit.

As reports emerged that President Putin had suggested Moscow as the host city and that Austria and Hungary had expressed willingness to host the summit, the atmosphere for talks appeared to be building.

However, the Kremlin merely stated that during the phone call between President Putin and President Trump, the idea was discussed that it might be worthwhile to explore the possibility of raising the status of the representatives participating in direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, drawing a clear line.

Russia’s stance on resolving the Ukraine issue is said to have changed little, except regarding ‘territorial matters’. Citing multiple sources, Reuters reported that President Putin is demanding Ukraine’s full withdrawal from Donbas (Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast), abandonment of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), maintenance of neutrality, and a ban on Western troops being stationed in Ukraine.

These demands are almost identical to the ceasefire terms President Putin proposed last June. At that time, President Putin had demanded that Ukraine not only withdraw from Donbas but also pull back completely from southern regions such as Kherson Oblast and Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Now, however, Reuters explained that if Ukraine relinquishes Donbas, Russia would agree to freeze the frontline in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

It was also mentioned that Russia is open to handing over parts of Ukrainian regions currently under Russian occupation, such as Kharkiv Oblast, Sumy Oblast, and part of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Sources indicated that these changes demonstrate President Putin’s willingness to compromise.

Sources said that President Putin and President Trump discussed Russia’s conditions and intentions to make concessions during their meeting in Alaska on the 15th. However, from Ukraine's perspective, withdrawal from Donbas is considered an unacceptable demand.

Reporter: Kim Joo-wan kjwan@hankyung.com