Kremlin Rejects Trilateral Summit Proposal Until Agreements Are Reached

The Kremlin has stated that a trilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is possible only to formalize agreements that have already been reached. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the settlement process is complex and involves a huge number of details, making it pointless for the presidents to meet to discuss those specifics. He further claimed that Kyiv does not want to engage in a real solution.

These comments follow a report by Axios stating that CIA Director John Ratcliffe proposed the trilateral meeting during a visit to Moscow last week. While the center-right and center outlets report the Kremlin rejected the hypothesis of a meeting without a prior agreement, the center-left outlet highlights that Trump had claimed a year ago that such a summit was only two weeks away.

Simultaneously, military tensions are escalating. Russia has announced an upcoming campaign to devastate Ukrainian energy infrastructure. In response, President Zelensky stated that Russia launched nearly 1,500 drones in four days and emphasized the need to increase the shoot-down rate to over 90 percent. Reports also indicate ongoing strikes on both sides, including Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure and Russian strikes on a munitions depot near Kyiv and targets in the capital.

Diplomatic efforts remain stalled over territorial disputes. The Kremlin has rejected Western proposals for a ceasefire and the establishment of a free economic zone in the Donbas, insisting that any peace talks must be based on the realities on the ground.