Putin wants to meet his Ukrainian counterpart, but refuses to discuss issues that interest Ukraine

Several months ago, the Kremlin sent Ukraine proposals on a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky and suggested Moscow’s vision of the outcome of the negotiations.

There are 12 potential solutions on the list, and almost all of them relate to Russian-Ukrainian bilateral relations, The Kommersant reports with reference to an informed source.

According to the newspaper, the Kremlin believes that Putin and Zelensky could agree to restore diplomatic relations, return ambassadors to Moscow and Kiev, lift mutual trade and economic sanctions, as well as restrictions imposed on individuals and legal entities. In addition, Moscow called it possible to make a decision to restore transport links between the two countries and develop an agreement on transit and supplies of natural gas for the period after 2024.

The topic of Crimea was not mentioned in the Kremlin’s proposals. As for the crisis in the Donbass, it was said that representatives of Russia in the Trilateral Contact Group, as well as in the Norman format would support any peace agreements between Kiev and the authorities of the unrecognized republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Ukraine has not responded to Moscow’s proposals regarding the agenda of the Putin-Zelensky summit, Kremlin official spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Kiev blames Moscow for no progress

Kiev blamed Moscow for no progress in preparations of the meeting between Putin and Zelensky.

“Unfortunately, we have to admit that the Russian side makes unconstructive attempts to find various reasons to postpone such bilateral negotiations,” said Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office.

The Kremlin does not express a clear willingness to discuss the topics that really matters for Ukrainians and Russians, he added.

“The fact that the Ukrainian and Russian peoples are separated by the front line needs to be discussed in the first place. Issues of war (in any of its manifestations, including economic, informational) and peace are the key issues of the agenda,” Podolyak noted.

In April, Zelensky publicly invited Putin to meet anywhere in Donbass, where the war continues. The Russian president advised Zelensky should negotiate with representatives of the self-proclaimed republics, but agreed to host the Ukrainian president in Moscow.