### Stalled Prospects for a Putin-Zelensky Summit: Potential Venues in Focus

#### Despite speculation of a meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, the chances so far remain bleak as both sides emphasize preconditions that may prevent direct negotiations.

Ambitious discussions regarding a potential summit between Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia's President Vladimir Putin are showing signs of stalling, particularly following remarks by former US President Donald Trump, who suggested optimism about the meeting taking place in the coming weeks. Various locations, including Geneva, Vienna, Budapest, and Istanbul, have surfaced as potential venues for this pivotal encounter. The last time the two leaders were together was in 2019, prior to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Trump's comment implied that he had initiated arrangements for the summit, believing that a preliminary agreement had been made during a phone call with Putin. However, subsequent statements from the Kremlin indicated a more cautious and ambiguous stance, suggesting that any meeting would hinge on resolving preliminary issues before any engagement could occur at the leadership level. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed hope for a meeting within two weeks, though he highlighted the uncertainty of Putin's willingness to attend.

As the diplomatic momentum wanes, the gap between the two nations’ negotiations remains stark. Russia is seemingly inclined to pursue discussions but insists on conditions that Ukraine has historically found unacceptable. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that Putin would consider a meeting if preliminary issues were fully ironed out, a stance indicating a potential deadlock that has characterized past negotiations.

Despite assertions from Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, that Russia had offered security guarantees for Ukraine, these proposals appear to align with Moscow's earlier terms, which had been rejected by Kyiv. Such proposals suggest a power dynamic where Russia would hold veto power over any military action taken in defense of Ukraine, a scenario unlikely to receive approval from Ukrainian leaders.

Zelensky articulated a need for a meeting to occur only once there is a consensus on security guarantees aligned with Western support, a stipulation that Russia fundamentally opposes. The prevailing sentiment indicates that neither party is willing to shift from their long-established positions, instead trading accusations over the lack of progress towards peace.

As speculation continues around potential locations for a summit, Budapest has emerged as a favored option due to its perceived neutral status, although Zelensky raised concerns regarding Hungary's previous actions that favored Russia. Accolades have also been given to Switzerland and Austria due to their histories of neutrality, although both nations have indicated they would offer immunity to Putin should he attend.

The possibility of Turkey arising as a meeting venue has been mentioned due to its track record of hosting previous negotiations between the two countries, despite those discussions yielding no substantial advancements toward ending hostilities. Other suggested venues include the Vatican and Saudi Arabia, both of which have expressed openness to playing roles in dialogue.

As the conflict rages on with both sides engaging in military actions—Ukraine reportedly striking Russian positions and Russia intensifying its strikes on Ukraine—the likelihood of a substantive meeting remains uncertain. Zelensky urged for increased pressure on Russia to foster genuine negotiations, emphasizing the absence of any indications from Moscow of a willingness to engage in meaningful peace talks.