Putin signals willingness to meet Zelensky amid rising US-Russia tensions
Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly prepared to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks, subject to certain conditions that necessitate preliminary work at the expert level, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The highly anticipated meeting, however, will not take place immediately.
Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported the potential for a Zelensky-Putin meeting, signaling a significant diplomatic development after recent international tensions.
Peskov has reiterated that a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky requires "expert-level" work, although the Russian leader does "not rule it out."
"All the preparatory work for such a meeting has not been completed yet. I want to remind you that the president himself constantly does not rule out the possibility of holding such a meeting after the necessary work has been done at the expert level and the proper distance has been overcome," Peskov said in response to a question about a possible meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky has long insisted on the necessity of a personal meeting with Putin to end the war. Here's what the Kremlin's press secretary has been saying about such a meeting over the past three months.
The announcement comes just three days following U.S. President Donald Trump's comments regarding the deployment of two nuclear submarines to Europe. Peskov emphasized the need for careful handling of nuclear topics and confirmed that Russia remains committed to nuclear non-proliferation. He clarified that Trump's remarks should not be interpreted as an escalation but rather as addressing "sensitive topics that elicit emotional responses." Peskov reiterated Russia's preference for "diplomatic resolutions over warfare."
"In this case, it is clear that American submarines are already on duty, a continuous process. Generally, we'd prefer not to be drawn into this polemic and would rather refrain from commenting," the Kremlin spokesperson concluded.
A statement from the U.S. President Donald Trump appeared, after former Russian President and current deputy head of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, issued nuclear strike threats referencing the "Dead Hand" which gets activated in response to Western nuclear threats. The White House, however, insists that such threats will not be tolerated, with Trump reiterating the positioning of two nuclear submarines in Europe.
On Monday, August 4th, Trump reiterated that the submarines are strategically placed, although precise locations remain unspecified. Additionally, the American President mentioned that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, might visit Moscow around August 6-7.
On August 1st, Putin announced that Russia had begun mass production of Oreshnik missiles.