Russian dictator vladimir putin is unlikely to agree to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, because in that case he will have to accept the collapse of his plans to seize Ukraine and overthrow the legitimate government. This is stated in the material of CNN on Wednesday, August 20.
The meeting between putin and Zelenskyy will be a huge U-turn, because russians have been brainwashed for years, explained Orysia Lutsevich, director of the RUSSIA and Eurasia program at Chatham House. In her opinion, in that case the dictator will have to accept his failure and sit down at the negotiating table with the president, "whom he considers a joke from a country that does not exist."
"It would also be a huge reversal in tone that would be tough to explain to the Russian people. (Putin) so much brainwashed Russians on state television that Zelenskyy's a Nazi, that (Ukraine's) a puppet state of the West … that Zelenskyy's illegitimate, why is he suddenly talking to him?" the expert said.
Tatiana Stanovaya, senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center and founder of R.Politik, which provides news and analysis on russia, believes that russia will try to confuse the US and propose, instead of direct talks with Zelenskyy, to hold a new round of talks in Istanbul, but with a higher-level delegation such as kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"But he won't risk an "ambush" by sitting down with Zelenskyy only to find all his demands rejected," the article says.
At this time, putin has no reason to agree to US President Donald Trump's terms. Without any concessions, the russian dictator was given a reception in Alaska, the demands for a ceasefire agreement and the refusal to impose sanctions were lifted. Under such conditions, putin continues to rely only on his military power, writes CNN. The only concern for russia at this point is who Trump will blame if the bilateral meeting with Zelenskyy fails.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on August 19, US President Donald Trump announced the start of preparations for a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and russian president vladimir putin.
Also on August 19, Trump said that the possible deployment of troops of European NATO member states on the territory of Ukraine would not be a "problem" for putin.
At the same time, on August 19, Trump said that Ukraine should abandon hopes for the return of Crimea occupied by russia and accession to the North Atlantic Alliance.
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