Kremlin denies Putin-Trump meeting plans amid speculation
The Kremlin announced that a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may occur before his inauguration in January 2025, as reported by the Interfax agency. When queried about these reports, the Kremlin's spokesperson stated that, for now, he knows nothing about such plans.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov firmly denied during a Thursday press conference that any contact had been made between Putin and Trump following the conclusion of the U.S. presidential elections. "No, it's not true," he said, responding to a journalist's question about whether Putin congratulated Trump on his election victory.
When asked whether any meetings are planned, Peskov added that at least for now, he knows nothing about such plans.
"President Putin has repeatedly said that he is open to a constructive dialogue based on justice, equality, and mutual respect for each other’s concerns. And President Putin remains committed to this position and has reiterated it multiple times," Peskov said at a Thursday press conference when asked if the Kremlin is prepared to resume contacts with the United States if such a request is made.
Peskov added that President Putin was and remains open to such dialogues.
"Putin does not eat people"
When asked about Trump's statements about ending the conflict in Ukraine within 24 hours, he replied that it was too early to draw conclusions about how Trump would behave on the Ukrainian issue.
"Of course, it was somewhat exaggerated when he said he would end the conflict overnight," Peskov stated. He added, however, that "if the new administration seeks peace and not the continuation of the conflict, it would be better than the previous one."
The Kremlin spokesperson also responded during the conference to the comments made by Trump’s election opponent, Kamala Harris, during a televised debate, which suggested that Trump, if victorious, would sacrifice American allies in Europe "in the name of mercy" from Putin, who "would eat him for lunch."
"Putin does not eat people," the Kremlin spokesperson said with a smile when asked to comment.
Trump receives congratulations, Kremlin officially silent
Donald Trump, who won the U.S. presidential election, will return to the White House after four years. His victory prompted reactions from politicians worldwide, including congratulations from the United Kingdom, Germany, Ukraine, France, and India.
Russia reacted cautiously to Trump's election, emphasising that the United States remains a "hostile state." Russians noted that time will tell if Trump's rhetoric about ending the war in Ukraine translates into reality.
Trump's "peace plan"
Trump has repeatedly promised that after returning to the White House, he will end the conflict and initiate negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. The Wall Street Journal reported that his "peace plan" includes freezing the conflict along the current front line and creating an 805-kilometre demilitarised zone.
This plan also calls for Ukraine to refrain from joining NATO for the next 20 years. It is unclear who would guard this zone, but it is known that U.S. forces will not be involved in the peace mission or its funding.
Following the end of his term in 2021, Donald Trump made several remarks about speculation regarding his interactions with Vladimir Putin. Although Trump declined to directly comment on the matter, he stated that if such talks were to occur, it would be "smart thing." The former U.S. president emphasised that his relations with the Russian president were friendly, which he considers an asset in maintaining good international relations.
