• Wion
  • /World
  • /'Like oil and vinegar': Trump not sure if he can make Zelensky, Putin meet - Was his heavy diplomacy for vain?

'Like oil and vinegar': Trump not sure if he can make Zelensky, Putin meet - Was his heavy diplomacy for vain?

'Like oil and vinegar': Trump not sure if he can make Zelensky, Putin meet - Was his heavy diplomacy for vain?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin Photograph: (Reuters)

Story highlights

Trump, after hosting Putin, is uncertain about brokering a meeting with Zelensky. Russia says no summit is planned, blaming Ukraine for delays. Peace talks remain stalled with no clear agenda.

A week after hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, US President Donald Trump appeared uncertain about arranging direct talks between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, describing the two as being “like oil and vinegar.” “We’re going to see if Putin and Zelensky will be working together,” Trump said. “They don’t get along too well, for obvious reasons, but we’ll see. And then we’ll see whether or not I would have to be there,” he added. Trump has been pressing for a meeting between the two leaders as part of his effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war. But so far, the idea has not taken shape.

Russia signals no plans yet

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov told NBC News there was currently “no meeting planned” between Putin and Zelensky, despite speculation that a summit could be the next step towards peace. Lavrov said Moscow had shown “flexibility” on issues raised by Trump at last week’s Alaska summit but claimed that Zelensky “said ‘no’ to everything.” “Putin is ready to meet with Zelensky when the agenda is ready for a summit, and this agenda is not ready at all,” he said, accusing Ukraine of blocking progress.

Trump had raised hopes earlier

Trending Stories

At the start of the week, Trump suggested that plans were being made for the two leaders to meet, with the possibility of a trilateral summit also involving him. During a meeting with European leaders, Trump even took a 40-minute call from Putin and later suggested that “the wheels were in motion” for a peace gathering, with only the location to be decided.

About the Author

Prapti Upadhayay

Prapti Upadhayay is a New Delhi-based journalist who reports on key news developments across India and global affairs, with a special focus on US politics. When not writing, she en...Read More