Kremlin dampens Witkoff's hopes for early Putin-Zelensky meeting
A summit of the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. should take place only at the final stage of peace talks to "finalize agreements," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Feb. 25.
His remarks cast doubt on U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's forecast that President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin could meet soon after the next round of peace talks, which Washington hopes to organize within three weeks.
In an interview with Fox News, aired on Feb. 21, Witkoff noted that U.S. President Donald Trump could attend a potential Ukraine-Russia summit, but only if "he feels that he can consummate this thing and get the best result."
When asked about Witkoff's comments by a reporter, Peskov questioned "whether there's any point in holding a summit" between Putin and Zelensky as long as the Ukrainian side maintains its current position in negotiations.
More than a year into Trump-led peace efforts, a final agreement remains elusive as Moscow demands that Ukraine cede the entire Donbas region while continuing to attack Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
Kyiv, which still holds roughly a quarter of Donetsk Oblast and limited footholds in Luhansk Oblast — two eastern regions encompassing Donbas — has rejected the territorial demands, calling instead for a ceasefire along the current front line.
Peskov reiterated that territorial issues are "complex" and said a summit between the leaders must be preceded by "very meticulous work at the expert level." He also repeated that Putin's offer to meet Zelensky in Moscow remains on the table — a proposal Kyiv has already rejected.
Zelensky has previously said he is ready to meet his Russian counterpart on neutral ground to advance negotiations, but the Kremlin turned down that suggestion.
Following the latest round of U.S.-brokered peace talks in Geneva on Feb. 17–18, Ukraine pushed to hold another session in February, but Moscow has yet to confirm a date.
