Putin-Trump meeting set to take place, preparations needed: Kremlin
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The Kremlin spokesperson announced that a meeting between the two presidents is on the agenda but emphasized that additional planning and coordination are required before it can take place.
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US President Donald Trump shakes hand with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of the press conference after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018 (AP)
A meeting between Putin and Trump will happen, but only after proper preparations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.
"This meeting will take place. Moreover, the presidents have expressed their political will for the meeting to take place, by publicly saying so," Peskov told Russia journalist Pavel Zarubin, adding that "However, it will take place at the appropriate time, and we need to prepare for it."
The discussions between Putin and US special presidential envoy Steven Witkoff marked another step toward a potential Putin-Trump meeting, Peskov noted.
"Either way, it will most certainly serve as an additional step towards this meeting," the Kremlin's spokesperson said upon being asked if the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US Envoy Steve Witkoff serves as a step toward the two Presidents meeting face-to-face.
In the same interview, Peskov stated that growing numbers of nations, including in Europe, are recognizing Kiev's falsehoods regarding key issues that will influence the future peace settlement.
"More and more countries, including, by the way, in Europe, have been taking note of the Kiev regime's false position on a whole range of issues, very serious issues, on which the configuration of the settlement process depends," the Kremlin's spokesperson told Zarubin.
The Trump administration disapproved of the conduct of Ukrainian officials, Peskov indicated. "It is a fact that the Kiev regime does not really get along with Washington. They have not really 'hit it off'. And we can see that this disgusting behavior of the Kiev regime's representatives does not exactly appeal to the current Trump administration," he said.
Russia says Putin-Witkoff discussions were productive
On a related note, Russian state television showed Putin welcoming Witkoff at the presidential library in St. Petersburg on April 11 at the start of their meeting, which lasted more than four hours, according to state news agencies.
Following the talks, the Kremlin stated, "The theme of the meeting — aspects of a Ukrainian settlement."
Russian state news agency TASS reported that Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy for international economic cooperation who also met Witkoff, described the discussions as productive.
The talks come amid stalled US-Russia negotiations over a potential ceasefire, as efforts to pave the way for a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine remain deadlocked—primarily due to disputes over the conditions for a complete halt in hostilities.
Putin has indicated his readiness to agree to a full ceasefire in principle but stressed that critical implementation details remain unresolved, with what he considers the war’s root causes still unaddressed.
In particular, Putin has stated that Ukraine should not join NATO, its military size should be restricted, and Russia should retain full control over the four Ukrainian regions it claims, despite not fully controlling them.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that Putin and Witkoff might discuss the possibility of a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Trump.
Although Putin and Trump have communicated by phone, they have not met in person since Trump resumed his second term as US president in January.
However, Peskov downplayed expectations for significant outcomes from the Witkoff-Putin meeting, telling Russian state media before the talks that no breakthroughs were anticipated and that the visit would mainly allow Russia to voice its concerns.
