A MEETING between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy could take place if the two sides come to certain, unspecified agreements, the Kremlin said.
Russia is preparing its list of conditions for a possible ceasefire with Ukraine and will exchange it with Kyiv privately, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday, according to Russian state media.
“We will not comment on any conditions. I would like to reiterate that the talks are ongoing and must be conducted behind completely closed doors,” Peskov added.
Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov lauded the “positive role” being played by the US in a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the foreign ministry said.
Ukraine and Russia held their first direct negotiations since 2022 on ending the war in Istanbul on Friday, during which Moscow repeated hard-line demands first made three years ago for an end to hostilities.
In the meantime, the two countries agreed to a major swap of some 1,000 prisoners on each side in the coming days, and to prepare proposals for a truce, amid faint hopes of any breakthrough.
Zelenskiy on Saturday again called for stronger sanctions against Moscow to force Putin toward a ceasefire.
“Pressure must be exerted on Russia to stop the killings. Without tougher sanctions, without stronger pressure, Russia will not seek real diplomacy,” the Ukrainian leader said on X.
His comments came after a Russian drone hit a minibus carrying civilians near the front lines in Ukraine’s Sumy region, killing nine people and injuring seven, according to local officials.
The Sumy attack came hours after the talks in Turkey wrapped up and failed to yield a firm timeline for a truce in the war, which is now well into its fourth year.
“Yesterday in Istanbul, everyone saw a weak and unprepared Russian delegation without a meaningful mandate,” Zelenskiy said. “This must change. Real steps are needed to end the war.”
Peskov on Saturday said there was no question of changing the lineup of Russia’s negotiating team, led by Vladimir Medinsky, for an as-yet unscheduled next round of talks. Medinsky said Friday the delegation was willing to continue the talks.
In Saturday’s call with Rubio, which Russia’s foreign ministry said was initiated by the US, Lavrov underlined Moscow’s willingness to continue pursuing peace efforts in Ukraine with the US, including via the Istanbul talks.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump predicted he would probably meet with Putin, suggesting that he saw a potential face-to-face encounter as the only way to broker an end to the war.
“I think we’ll make a deal. We have to get together and I think we’ll probably schedule it because I’m tired of having other people go and meet and everything else,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News broadcast on Friday evening.
The interview was recorded while Trump was in the Middle East and aired as he was returning to Washington.
Even as the European Union works on a new sanctions package to target Russia’s financial sector as a way to put pressure on Putin, Trump is downplaying the prospect of new sanctions for now.
“Nobody uses leverage better than me,” Trump told Fox. “I will use that if I have to. I’d rather not use that.”
Ukraine’s air force reported downing 36 of 62 Russian drones launched early on Saturday at targets across the country. Russia’s defense ministry said its troops downed three guided air bombs and 80 UAVs launched by Ukraine in the past 24 hours. The respective claims can’t be independently verified. –BLOOMBERG
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