Zelensky proposes a meeting in an open letter; Putin says "willing to negotiate based on the Anchorage meeting"; Trump: "Russia and Ukraine will compromise."
Major diplomatic breakthroughs are emerging in the Russia-Ukraine geopolitical situation. Leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and the United States simultaneously released positive signals about ending the conflict through compromise and negotiation, providing a potential path to cool down the geopolitical risks that have troubled global markets for a long time.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Ukrainian President Zelensky publicly issued a letter to Russian President Putin on June 4th, proposing a bilateral meeting and specifying a concrete date. Putin responded positively in St. Petersburg soon after, clearly stating that Russia is fully prepared and willing to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine based on the compromise plan achieved at the Russia-US “Anchorage Meeting.”
U.S. President Trump expressed his approval of the potential "Putin-Zelensky meeting" at the White House that day. He emphasized that, under U.S. facilitation, both Russia and Ukraine will make compromises to end the conflict and declared this progress aligns with his previous suggestions.
Russia Clearly Sets Negotiation Basis and Compromise Framework
According to Xinhua Net, Putin detailed Russia's negotiation stance while meeting with heads of major world news agencies in St. Petersburg on the 4th. Putin pointed out that during the meeting between the Russian and U.S. leaders in Anchorage, Alaska, last August, a compromise plan was achieved. Russia is ready to accept this plan and take Trump's proposals regarding Ukraine as the foundation for a peace agreement.
Putin stressed that Russia agrees to make compromises on the Ukraine issue, but the current obstacle lies in needing to persuade Ukraine to believe in and accept this. He stated that if Ukraine agrees to make compromises based on the Anchorage agreement, the Russia-Ukraine conflict will soon end.
When it comes to the role of the European Union, Putin drew clear political boundaries. He said Russia does not oppose Ukraine joining the EU but firmly opposes the EU turning into a military alliance. Putin called on the EU to play a positive role in resolving the conflict, suggesting it should use its influence to persuade Ukraine to accept the compromise plan, rather than continue supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Current Territorial Control and Agreement Signing Conditions
While advancing the willingness to negotiate, Putin clarified Russia's bottom line regarding the current territorial situation and regime legitimacy. He stated that Russia's control of the Donbas region does not contradict reaching a peace agreement with Ukraine.
According to Xinhua News Agency quoting Putin, Russia currently controls all of the Luhansk region, 85% of the Donetsk region, and 80% of the Zaporizhzhia region.
Regarding the future signing of the peace agreement, Putin presented specific political requirements. He emphasized that Russia hopes to sign this historically significant document with Ukraine's "legitimate representatives," and pointed out that holding presidential elections in Ukraine is very important. Putin believes, due to constraints from domestic political situations, Ukraine is currently not ready to conclude the agreement.
Ukraine's Initiatives and U.S. Mediation
Another key driving force for the negotiations comes from Ukraine's proactive invitation and the pressure and mediation from the United States. In his open letter released on the 4th, Zelensky not only proposed meeting with Putin but also explicitly advocated for Europe and the United States to participate in the process.
The U.S. quickly expressed support for these developments. According to Xinhua News Agency, Trump stated to the media at a White House event that he was glad to see the two country leaders seem to be discussing a meeting, and believed "if they can meet, it would be a very good thing, and they really should settle it."
Trump attributed the current engagement largely to the U.S.'s promotion. He reiterated that, to end the conflict, both Russia and Ukraine will make compromises, consistent with his previous suggestions. However, he refused to disclose specific details about the compromise plan to the media.
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