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By Robert Birsel, Shane Croucher, and John Feng
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A peace deal to end the Russian war in Ukraine is "practically impossible," President Vladimir Putin said, citing "technical difficulties" and casting doubt on Ukraine's political will.
Nevertheless, Putin said he was ready for meetings "at the highest level" while speaking at an Eastern Economic Forum event in Vladivostok, Russia on Friday.
Why It Matters
U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a settlement to the Ukraine crisis, and has threatened Russia with new punitive sanctions and secondary tariffs if it does not make peace soon and end its full-scale invasion, which Russia launched in February 2022.
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After meeting with the Russian president in Alaska on August 15, Trump had expressed hope for a bilateral meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before a three-way summit involving all three leaders.
Putin's pessimism over prospects for Trump's peace effort could force the U.S. president to decide whether to persevere or walk away from the process, as he has previously suggested he might do.
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What To Know
Putin, speaking at the annual international forum, said he noted that Kyiv was seeking high-level direct contacts, including a meeting between himself and Zelensky, but added that he didn't see "much sense in it," the Russian state news agency Tass reported.
"Why? Because it will be practically impossible to reach an agreement with the Ukrainian side on key issues, even if there were political will—which I doubt," Putin said, originally in Russian.
"There are also technical difficulties," Putin noted, pointing to Ukraine's constitutional requirement for referenda on any new territorial agreements—a process that cannot take place while the country is under martial law.
"If martial law is lifted, presidential elections must immediately be held. After the referendum, if it takes place, depending on the results, approval from the Constitutional Court is required," Tass quoted Putin as saying.
Putin said Ukraine's Constitutional Court is not functioning because it is in the grip of a political crisis.
"Therefore, this endless process leads nowhere. Nevertheless, we have said that we are ready for meetings at the highest level," he added, though he is only willing to meet with Zelensky in Moscow, which the Ukrainian leader has ruled out.
Compounding concerns about prospects for peace, Putin also said that NATO troops in Ukraine would be viewed by Moscow as "legitimate targets," as France, the U.K. and other NATO members pledge to put boots on the ground as part of security guarantees for Kyiv after the war.
Putin believes one of the "root causes" of the conflict is "drawing Ukraine into NATO".
"Therefore, if any troops appear there, especially now during the course of hostilities, we proceed from the assumption that they will be legitimate targets for destruction," he said.
What People Are Saying
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X on Friday: "It is important to move faster on security guarantees for Ukraine, to be as productive as possible together with America, to strengthen our air defense.
"We continue coordination for the sake of real diplomacy. Putin pretends he does not need peace, does not need negotiations, but in fact global pressure can shape Russia's interest in ending the war."
U.S. President Donald Trump, asked at a White House press briefing on September 2 whether there would be consequences if Putin did not meet Zelensky, said: "Yes, there will be. We're going to see what happens, what they do and what happens. I'm watching it very closely... I want to see it end."
What Happens Next
Trump said he spoke with Putin and had begun "the arrangements for a meeting" between the Russian president and Zelensky. It remains unclear whether a summit will take place or whether further economic punishment for Moscow will ensue.
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