EPA-EFE/TATYANA ZENKOVICH/YURI KOCHETKOV

Is a direct conversation between Putin and Zelensky possible?

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said he could engage in direct peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin if US President Donald Trump gives Kiev security guarantees, Bloomberg reported.

In the fall of 2022, Zelensky signed a decree banning any negotiations with Putin after the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, along with the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, officially became part of Russia as a result of a referendum. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said earlier this month that the law remains in effect.

However, in an interview with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Zelensky appeared to change his mind on the issue. According to the agency, the Ukrainian leader said he wanted to secure Trump's commitment to defending Ukraine before reaching out to Putin.

"The question is just what guarantees security, and I sincerely want to understand before the talks. If that can guarantee this strong and irreversible security for Ukraine, we will go down this diplomatic path," he said.

Putin's annual overcrowding. EPA-EFE/YURI KOCHETKOV

Putin: Zelensky must first win the election

Last year, Putin said he would only be able to negotiate with Zelensky if he held and won elections to restore his legitimacy.

Zelensky remains in power in Ukraine despite his term officially expiring in May last year. The Ukrainian leader canceled the presidential election, citing the state of emergency he imposed due to the conflict with Russia.

According to Putin, this move violated the Ukrainian constitution, leaving parliament as the only legitimate authority in the country.

Trump: I will meet with Putin

US President Trump said on Tuesday he was ready to meet with Putin "at any time" to discuss a diplomatic solution to the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.

"We are talking to Zelensky. We will talk to President Putin very soon and we will see how it all plays out," he said.

Earlier this week, the Russian leader praised Trump's intention to restore contacts between Moscow and Washington, which were severed by the Biden administration. He stressed, however, that dialogue can only take place on an "equal and mutually respectful basis."

Putin said Moscow had noted the US president's apparent willingness to restore communication and "do everything to prevent World War III."

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