"It Would Be a Major Breakthrough" – Expert Comments on the Chances of a Putin-Zelensky Meeting

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International political analyst Maksym Yali stated that a meeting between Zelensky and Putin is highly unlikely, as the Kremlin considers the Ukrainian president illegitimate and cannot backtrack on its previous statements, Politeka reports.
He shared this in his blog.

First and foremost, the expert recalls what Putin’s aide Ushakov said regarding a potential meeting with Zelensky: that the Kremlin is willing to consider raising the level of its negotiation delegation. In other words, Yali points out, this does not mean replacing Medinsky—who is not taken seriously—with Foreign Minister Lavrov. While that would indeed be an upgrade in terms of representation, it still does not amount to a presidential-level meeting.

“Why am I skeptical about this? Here's my main argument. For at least the past six months, during phone conversations between the U.S. and Russian presidents, Putin has repeatedly emphasized that Zelensky is illegitimate. He has been saying this since last year, when Zelensky’s official term ended,” Yali notes.

Accordingly, the expert explains, if Putin agrees to meet with Zelensky, he would automatically be recognizing Zelensky’s legitimacy and would lose this political card. As Yali reminds us, Putin has consistently stated that any agreements must be signed with a legitimate president of Ukraine—otherwise, new elections could result in a government that refuses to honor those agreements.

“So for now, of course, we need to closely monitor the situation. And I’m certain that Putin will still try to avoid this meeting. Not to mention the broader context—there’s personal animosity involved, and it’s mutual, naturally. So if a meeting does happen—especially if it happens within the next two weeks—it will be a major breakthrough,” Maksym Yali emphasizes.


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