Putin-Zelenskyy meeting: Expert reveals when leader-level talks actually matter

As long as Russia has the resources for its war of aggression, Vladimir Putin will only meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to dictate a «win.» Ukraine finds such an outcome for leadership-level negotiations categorically unacceptable.

Ukrainian analyst Serhii Harmash stressed this in a comment to Kyiv24.

«Putin will only show up when a document is ready that suits him. He needs a payoff to take back to Moscow and report that he won,» Harmash said.

Harmash added that Ukraine has no need for a leadership meeting that hands Putin a chance to declare victory.

«Putin will only be swayed when he realizes he cannot win — when it finally sinks in, when he sees he no longer has the resources, ” the analyst said.

At the same time, Serhii Harmash noted that the Kremlin still has room to maneuver, particularly amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, which give the aggressor hope for new resources.

In his view, a real breakthrough in leader-level talks will only be possible once the Armed Forces of Ukraine maintains systematic pressure on the front, and Putin realizes he can no longer provide Russians with a future they will accept.