Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may have a phone conversation with the illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in over 5 years.
Points of attention
- Insiders suggest a potential phone conversation between Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Russian President Putin, which could mark a significant breakthrough in the peace process.
- The recent meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago is believed to have set the stage for direct contact between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia.
- Challenges and tensions between Zelenskyy and Putin have hindered dialogue in the past, with Putin refusing talks following previous disputes.
Will Zelenskyy talk to Putin — insiders' opinion
According to the source, yesterday's meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago may contribute to this.
Sunday's talks between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky could pave the way for Zelensky's first phone conversation with... Vladimir Putin in more than five years, the publication writes, citing a source familiar with the discussions.
And while the Florida meeting was presented as a step forward in Trump-led peace efforts, the source added that securing a direct phone call between Zelenskyy and Putin would be a "diplomatic victory" for the US president.
Moreover, it noted that if Putin had spoken yesterday, it would have been the greatest achievement in the peace process.
If Putin had joined the phone call on Sunday, it would have been the biggest advance in the peace talks and the first real step in the peace process. It would have been a diplomatic victory for President Trump.
He also added that Trump appears to be the most successful mediator because "Putin and Zelenskyy perceive each other emotionally, and this is a challenge."
The source also spoke about yesterday's talks. He said the focus of the discussions was a 20-point US-backed peace plan that was developed after weeks of talks.
The document will require compromise from both Kyiv and Moscow, "to engage Zelenskyy and possibly hold direct negotiations with him." Again, this seems to be about direct negotiations with the Russian side or Putin himself.
During a conversation with the interlocutor, Fox News was able to find out when contact between the heads of the two countries ceased and why peace talks did not resume a year ago.
The only difficulty is that Putin has refused to speak to Zelensky since July 2020, when they spoke about the Wagner scandal and the failed operation to detain Russian militants associated with Wagner. After that, Zelensky repeatedly tried to talk to Putin, but he refused.
It also said that relations between the two leaders were tense even before the communication was completely broken.
Until this point in 2020, the conversations between Zelensky and Putin had never been cordial, and there had always been a sense of tension between them. During the talks, Putin had always been taciturn, while Zelensky had tried to establish contact. Zelensky had always behaved submissively towards Putin and had made videos of himself in a good mood, almost as if he were playing a role on stage.
Furthermore, when Putin was silent, Zelenskyy "always politely asked" him what he was thinking. As the source says, "Putin was never talkative."
He also claims that there were opportunities for negotiations in August and September 2024, but they disappeared again when Ukrainian troops entered the Kursk region.
