A diplomatic tug-of-war is emerging over the timeline for a potential peace summit between Russia and Ukraine. The United States is pressing for a rapid meeting, while Russia is publicly counseling patience and thorough preparation, creating a tension that will shape the next steps.
The U.S. position was made clear by the White House, which announced that President Vladimir Putin had agreed to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within two weeks. This agreement was allegedly secured during a phone call with President Donald Trump, and the administration is now actively working to facilitate the talks.
In contrast, Russia has pumped the brakes. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s comment that a leaders’ summit “must be prepared with utmost thoroughness” serves as a public signal that Moscow will not be rushed. This indicates a potential mismatch in expectations and urgency between Washington and Moscow.
Amidst this procedural back-and-forth, the substantive issues of the conflict remain. President Zelenskyy is ready to engage Putin directly on the question of territory. Simultaneously, Ukraine is negotiating with its partners on a separate track to establish security guarantees, with the U.S. floating the option of providing air support.
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