Kremlin says Putin-Zelenskyy meeting unlikely before end of August

MOSCOW

A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy before the end of August is highly unlikely, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Peskov said a Russia-Ukraine summit should finalize a settlement and formalize all agreed-upon terms.

"Can such an extremely complex process be completed in 30 days? Clearly, that’s hardly possible," he said when asked about the possibility of the leaders' summit before the end of August, as Ukraine proposed in this week's peace talks in Istanbul.

Besides, the draft memoranda from Russia and Ukraine are diametrically opposed, making it impossible to reconcile their positions on a settlement in a short timeframe, he added.

"Our position is well-known, it is outlined in the draft memorandum handed to the Ukrainian side," Peskov said, adding that the parties still have substantial work ahead.

Russia has demanded that Ukraine adhere to a neutral, non-allied status, and end any foreign military presence on its territory. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has called the terms an ultimatum, and wants a ceasefire and face-to-face talks with Putin.

On Wednesday, Istanbul hosted the third round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations on resolving the conflict that have continued since February 2022. Before the full meeting, delegation heads Vladimir Medinsky and Rustem Umerov held a private one-on-one discussion.

The main part of the talks lasted about 40 minutes, during which the sides reviewed their positions as outlined in the draft memoranda.

The talks followed earlier meetings, also in Istanbul in May and June, which led to agreements on prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of soldiers’ remains.

Turning to the Israeli war on Palestine, Peskov said Russia supports the internationally recognized two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

"The two-state solution for Middle East settlement has always been discussed and is enshrined in relevant documents. Russia has consistently adhered to this stance," Peskov said, responding to a question whether Moscow supports French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that Paris will officially recognize the state of Palestine at the UN General Assembly session in September.

Last May, Ireland, Spain, and Norway declared their recognition of Palestinian statehood.

The Soviet Union -- whose legal successor is Russia -- recognized the state of Palestine in 1988.