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Russian sources confirm Putin’s contempt for the Ukrainian president. For Moscow, direct negotiation remains contingent on Ukrainian president’s surrender. Trump used as possible mediator, but U.S. president has no say
Vladimir Putin never considered a direct meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul. According to the Moscow Times, the Russian president does not recognize the Ukrainian leader as his equal and would be willing to see him only in the event of a public surrender. The decision to send a low-profile delegation to the talks with Kiev confirms Moscow’s line, which has ruled out a face-to-face meeting between the two presidents from the outset.
The Kremlin, however, could not ignore the offer altogether, in part because of appeals from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he was willing to travel to Turkey to facilitate negotiations. It is precisely Trump’s clout that has prompted Russia to propose the resumption of talks, while avoiding accepting an immediate ceasefire demanded by European leaders.
Russian government sources point out that only a direct invitation from Trump to Putin could have changed the Kremlin’s position. Zelensky, however, continues to be seen as a representative of Washington and not an autonomous interlocutor.
Among the scenarios assessed in Moscow was that of Putin’s visit to Istanbul without meeting Zelensky, but with the goal of a face-to-face with Trump. The U.S. president himself, speaking today from Qatar, left open the possibility of traveling to Turkey “if it is appropriate.”
According to analysts such as Alexei Chesnakov, a former Kremlin adviser, this strategy allows Putin to maintain control of the narrative, making Zelensky appear as an isolated leader without credibility.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president, who arrived in Ankara to meet with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, called the Russian delegation a “farce” with no real decision-making powers, speaking of “theatrical staging.” Moscow hit back hard with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissing Zelensky as “a clown and a loser.”
According to Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, Putin’s goal is to move the conflict to the level of bilateral relations with Washington, relegating the Ukrainian issue to a secondary issue in relations with the United States.
Despite openings at the talks, Moscow has not changed its demands: consolidation of occupied territories, regime change in Kiev and downsizing the Ukrainian army. The Russian negotiating team is the same one sent to the March 2022 talks, a signal that Russia’s underlying goals remain unchanged.
Washington and the Trump administration itself, however, consider these demands unacceptable. If diplomacy fails, the risk remains that Moscow will aim to achieve its goals with military force on the ground.
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