Russia blames Volodymyr Zelensky for lack of progress on meeting with Vladimir Putin

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, whose organization is at the heart of the conflict between Moscow and kyiv, is visiting Ukraine, where he once again called on the West to provide "solid security guarantees" to the country in the event of a peace agreement with Moscow.

These security guarantees and the preparation of a summit between Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelensky are at the center of the diplomatic efforts deployed in recent weeks by Donald Trump, who wants to quickly find a solution to the Russian assault against Ukraine launched in 2022.

These efforts culminated in a meeting between the American president and his Russian counterpart in Alaska last Friday, and then with his Ukrainian counterpart and his European allies in Washington on Monday. Despite this, the positions of the two camps still appear irreconcilable.

On Friday, Sergei Lavrov announced that there was, at this stage, "no meeting planned" between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

"Putin is ready to meet with Zelensky when the agenda for this summit is ready. And this agenda is absolutely not ready," he said in an interview with the American network NBC.

According to Mr. Lavrov, Washington would like the belligerents to accept "several principles" for the future settlement of the conflict, including the non-membership of Ukraine in NATO, which Moscow is demanding, and the discussion of territorial exchanges.

But Mr. Zelensky said "no" to all of this, Lavrov said.

"Solid guarantees"

This week, Mr. Lavrov had already accused Kyiv of not wanting a "just and lasting settlement" to the conflict. He also said that the Europeans were making "rather clumsy attempts" to convince Donald Trump to continue arming Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky, who has repeatedly said in recent months that he is ready to meet Mr. Putin, accused Russia on Friday of "doing everything to prevent this meeting from taking place."

"It is at the leadership level that the question of ending the war must be resolved," he insisted.

Mr. Zelensky received support from NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who was visiting Kyiv. "Robust security guarantees will be essential" to ensure that Russia "never again attempts to seize a single square kilometer of Ukrainian territory," he pleaded.

According to Mr. Rutte, two forms of guarantees are being considered: a strengthening of the Ukrainian army or a more direct involvement of European countries and the United States. Both alternatives are categorically opposed by Russia.

"It is clear that the United States will be involved," assured Mark Rutte.

At his side, Mr. Zelensky acknowledged that the work on these guarantees was "very difficult." "It is too early to say who will be able to provide military personnel, who will be able to provide intelligence, who will be present at sea or in the air, and who is ready to provide financing," he stressed.

Russian advance

Donald Trump, for his part, indicated this week that Washington was ready to provide air support but without ground troops in Ukraine. He also ruled out any Ukrainian membership in NATO.

On the ground, Russia continues its advances, which have accelerated in recent months against an opponent who is outnumbered.

The Russian army claimed on Friday the capture of three new towns in the Donetsk region, where most of the fighting is taking place.

In Kostiantynivka, a Ukrainian fortress threatened by Russian advances in the region, Russian bombardments lasted "several hours" on Friday and left one person injured, according to Governor Sergei Gorbunov.

Diplomatically, the positions of the two sides still seem as far apart as ever, more than three and a half years after the start of the conflict.

Russia wants Ukraine to cede four partially occupied regions, in addition to Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and to renounce joining NATO and Western arms deliveries.

It also opposes any deployment of a European contingent in Ukraine, which kyiv is demanding, as it wants to dissuade Russia from any further attacks once peace is concluded.

The Kremlin agrees in principle to a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky but wants it to take place in the final phase of talks between the two countries.