As part of its international diplomacy efforts, Russia’s Kremlin played down expectations for an imminent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while U.S. President Donald Trump cast doubts about Putin’s willingness to broker peace deals.
Trump signaled on August 20, 2025, his doubt about Putin’s intentions regarding ongoing efforts to bring an end to Ukraine’s conflict through talks and diplomacy, according to reports by The Times of India and Viralanka.com (+11).
This comment comes amid increased international pressure for direct dialogue between Putin and Zelenskyy.
While Moscow signalled some resistance to intensifying diplomatic efforts, including those involving Zelenskyy, Moscow has signaled their unwillingness to escalate this diplomatic dialogue by dismissing any suggestion of an imminent summit as premature or overstated, as reported by The Guardian.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov made clear that any meeting must be “carefully prepared”, dispelling rumors of an immediate gathering without proper groundwork being laid beforehand (Wall Street Journal +15; Ground News = +15).
European leaders are cautiously optimistic after recent talks with Donald Trump, where they secured a tentative U.S. commitment to support a postwar peace arrangement that includes security guarantees for Ukraine; however, Trump reiterated his position that no US ground troops would be deployed, suggesting instead the possibility of air support coordinated with NATO allies instead. (Wikipedia/The Washington Post/The Sun/The Telegraph.).
This position reflects a growing recognition that U.S. military engagement must be limited and properly directed.
As talks on hosting talks have caused much speculation and debate, Viktor Orban of Hungary has recently discussed Budapest as a potential venue for Putin-Zelenskyy discussions, however concerns over Hungary’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court may impede logistics given Putin’s outstanding warrant from that body. [Wikipedia +10 (The Sun +10) | Wikipedia (The Guardian | Sky News).
Switzerland and Austria have also offered to host the talks, while discussing legal safeguards – including possible International Criminal Court (ICC) exemptions for Vladimir Putin – The Guardian reported.
Putin has long set conditions for any meeting between himself and Zelenskyy that include agreements on neutrality and disarmament – conditions Kyiv and its Western allies find unacceptable, according to both Wall Street Journal and Guardian reporting.
The diplomatic back-and-forth highlights the delicate balance between exerting pressure on Russia for peaceful resolution of tensions, while respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity–something Kyiv insists must not be compromised upon.
Trump is pushing for direct talks between Vladimir Putin and Sergei Zelenskyy as an avenue toward peace, while Russia remains cautious, signaling no urgency to commit to frameworks which might require concessions from either side. European and U.S. leaders continue exploring diplomatic and security solutions but harbor doubts as to whether Vladimir Putin is truly prepared to make genuine concessions.