The Kremlin has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to hold direct talks with US President-elect Donald Trump without any preconditions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the meeting’s success depends solely on the mutual desire to resolve pressing issues through dialogue. This development signals a potential recalibration of US-Russia relations amid ongoing tensions, particularly concerning the protracted conflict in Ukraine.

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to resolve the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of taking office. He claimed that he would leverage his negotiation skills to bring Moscow and Kiev back to the table for peace talks. Following his election victory, Trump announced that a meeting with Putin was in the works, likely to occur after his inauguration on January 20. Trump’s remarks have raised both hopes and skepticism about the feasibility of such swift conflict resolution.

Trump’s special envoy on the Ukraine conflict, retired US Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, has echoed this optimism, suggesting a 100-day timeline to broker a peace deal. However, critics argue that the complexities of the conflict, including deep-seated geopolitical and territorial disputes, render such ambitious timelines unrealistic.

Speaking to reporters on January 10, Peskov confirmed that both Putin and Trump had expressed readiness to engage in direct communication. He clarified that the Kremlin imposes no preconditions for the meeting, underscoring the importance of political will on both sides.

“President Putin has repeatedly stated his openness to........

© Blitz