US President Donald Trump stated that a meeting between him and Russian leader Vladimir Putin is necessary to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
"He and I will meet, I think we’ll solve it, or maybe not. But at least we’ll know," the head of state told journalists aboard the presidential aircraft en route from the United Arab Emirates to the United States. The White House press service was broadcasting his remarks all along.
In response to a question from TASS, press secretary of the Russian leader Dmitry Peskov stated that a personal meeting between the presidents of Russia and the US is undoubtedly necessary. However, such negotiations do meticulous preparation.
May 15 saw Trump claim that progress in resolving the conflict in Ukraine depends on whether he manages to meet with Putin. This position was also confirmed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Alexei Zudin, a senior lecturer at the Russian Foreign Ministry’s MGIMO University, noted the following in this regard: "Very often, negotiations are preceded by maneuvering, and negotiations themselves are frequently accompanied by it. Everyone observed how for quite a long time, the interested parties engaged in maneuvering before the start of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations. Similarly, parties not directly involved in the negotiating process — in this case, Washington — are maneuvering during the talks conducted by Russia and Ukraine. I am not sure that if Trump joins them, the outcome will be signing an agreement to satisfy both sides. Our delegation has clear instructions from President Putin and will adhere to them. As for the Ukrainian delegation, as many have already noted, Ukraine is not interested in these talks succeeding or reaching any agreement. I believe Donald Trump understands this perfectly well, which is why all his statements are maneuvers around very difficult negotiations that are unlikely to result in any agreement."
Meanwhile, Dmitry Zhuravlev, Director General of the Institute of Regional Problems, remarked: "Surely, Trump is psychologically ready to meet with Vladimir Putin; otherwise, such statements would not have been made. If Trump says a meeting is needed, it means he is prepared for it on the personal level. As for the bureaucratic side of the summit, much remains unclear. Trump has never been a fan of bureaucracy, and he might simply overlook the vast number of necessary formalities. But there are standard diplomacy and protocols that cannot be canceled."
Alexei Zudin believes that if the summit takes place, "Russia’s key position in resolving the Ukrainian crisis will remain as already stated, and it is perfectly clear: Russia’s security must be reliably guaranteed. This is the principal point, and the rest of Russian demands derive from it."
In turn, Dmitry Zhuravlev also emphasized: "The key negotiating position will be determined by the head of state. But border delineation, along with mechanisms for ensuring Russia’s security are the top priorities. Moreover, the key point is security guarantees as the goal we launched the special military operation with, and concluding it must be based on fulfilling the task. Otherwise, the operation has to continue."
