Potential Locales for a Putin-Zelensky Summit: Rome, Geneva, and Additionals
In recent developments, a proposed bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been the subject of much discussion. The proposed meeting, aimed at fostering peace, has seen various countries offering to host the summit.
The initial proposal for the meeting came from U.S. President Donald Trump, who offered to organize a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky. This proposal was met with mixed responses, as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced his readiness to arrange the meeting "for the sake of peace" on August 8. However, Lukashenko's offer was met with doubts from Zelensky, who expressed reservations about attending the proposed meeting.
One of the main points of contention is the venue for the meeting. Putin proposed Moscow as the meeting venue during a phone call with former U.S. President Donald Trump, but Zelensky has firmly rejected Moscow, insisting that the meeting should take place in a neutral European country such as Switzerland, Austria, or Turkey. Switzerland has expressed its willingness to grant Putin immunity from arrest if he participates in peace talks there. Hungary's capital, Budapest, has also been suggested as a potential venue, although no confirmation has been made public. French President Emmanuel Macron has also proposed Switzerland as a venue.
However, Putin's preference for Moscow and Zelensky's insistence on a neutral European country have created a stalemate. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has underscored that any high-level meeting must be thoroughly prepared to avoid worsening the situation, indicating Moscow sees the summit as a finalizing step rather than an opening negotiation.
Another point of contention is the level of preparation and the issues to be agreed upon before the summit. Ukraine and its Western backers, as well as Zelensky, demand that Ukraine must retain decision-making authority on territorial matters. Russia, on the other hand, has emphasized the need for careful prior arrangements.
As of now, no definitive date for the meeting has been set, and preparations for such a summit are complex and would require significant logistical, security, and diplomatic groundwork. The White House has indicated that the meeting will happen soon, but the Kremlin remains noncommittal.
The proposal for the meeting was made during talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Zelensky on August 13. Turkish authorities have also proposed Istanbul as the venue for the talks. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin and Russian children's rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova on charges of "unlawful deportation" of children from Ukraine, which could potentially complicate matters.
As the proposed meeting between Putin and Zelensky remains unconfirmed, the international community continues to watch developments closely, hoping for a resolution that will bring peace to the region.
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