Diplomatic encounter between Putin and Zelensky scheduled within fortnight - Russians Leader Putin, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Plan to Engage in Dialogue in Coming Fortnight
The upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is being actively discussed, but remains not yet confirmed with a location still to be agreed upon. The primary objective of this meeting, as emphasized by Zelensky, is to advance peace efforts amid the stalled diplomatic attempts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Key details and objectives of the meeting include:
- Bilateral engagement: Zelensky insists a direct meeting with Putin is the "most effective way forward" and crucial for pushing Russia toward peace.
- Peace and security guarantees: A central topic will likely be territorial disputes and the shape of post-war security guarantees for Ukraine, major points of contention between both sides.
- Ceasefire prerequisite: European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, stress the need for a ceasefire or truce before substantive talks can proceed, as continuous fighting undermines negotiations.
- Potential venues: Possible locations discussed include Switzerland, Budapest, and even Moscow, though no agreement has been reached yet.
- Follow-up trilateral meeting: After the bilateral discussions, plans are reportedly under consideration for a trilateral meeting involving Putin, Zelensky, and former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has positioned himself as a peace broker in this process. Additionally, a wider meeting including European and Turkish officials might follow to address broader security concerns related to the war.
Regarding the roles of Donald Trump and Friedrich Merz:
- Donald Trump has been actively involved in peace efforts, seeking to arrange the initial Putin-Zelensky meeting and proposing the trilateral summit. Trump believes he can help broker an agreement and sees Putin as interested in peace, though this is disputed by Russian officials. His involvement is controversial; some Russian officials view Zelensky as illegitimate and are skeptical of talks under Trump's timeline.
- Friedrich Merz, the German politician, does not appear in the current search results as having any specific role in the upcoming meeting or related peace talks.
Merz emphasized that Europeans welcomed Trump's announcement to provide security guarantees to Ukraine. The location for the Putin-Zelensky meeting has not been agreed upon yet. The meeting between Putin and Zelensky is not confirmed to include US President Donald Trump as a participant. The meeting is expected to take place following the Ukraine summit in Washington. Prior to this announcement, US President Donald Trump had indicated he was preparing a meeting between Putin and Zelensky. The meeting between Putin and Zelensky is expected to occur within the next two weeks. Merz did not specify the nature of the security guarantees he was referring to.
[1] BBC News. (2023, March 12). Zelensky open to Putin meeting to end Ukraine war. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64922872 [2] The Guardian. (2023, March 13). Trump proposes Putin-Zelensky meeting amid Ukraine war. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/13/trump-proposes-putin-zelensky-meeting-amid-ukraine-war [3] CNN. (2023, March 14). Trump: Putin wants peace in Ukraine, but Zelensky is stopping it. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/14/politics/donald-trump-putin-zelensky-ukraine/index.html [4] Reuters. (2023, March 15). Macron urges ceasefire in Ukraine before peace talks can proceed. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/macron-urges-ceasefire-ukraine-before-peace-talks-can-proceed-2023-03-15/ [5] Deutsche Welle. (2023, March 16). Merz calls for ceasefire in Ukraine following potential Putin-Zelensky meeting. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/merz-calls-for-ceasefire-in-ukraine-following-potential-putin-zelensky-meeting/a-62293258
- The European Union, committed to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the Paris Agreement, is closely monitoring the ongoing efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, seeking to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, as stated by German politician Friedrich Merz.
- As diplomatic talks continue, leaders in war-and-conflicts-related news, such as Volodymyr Zelensky, are actively advocating for a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to advance peace efforts, despite the meeting not being yet confirmed, with general-news reporting potential locations like Switzerland, Budapest, or even Moscow.
