Putin is ready to talk to Zelensky "if necessary". Ukraine has a "right" to join the EU, but not NATO.

This was stated by Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov.

"A solution to the conflict in Ukraine is impossible without a broader discussion of security issues in Europe," Peskov said, a day after a meeting in Paris of European leaders who fear they will be sidelined from peace talks in Ukraine in view of a rapprochement between Moscow and Washington.

"A long-term solution, a sustainable solution, is impossible without a comprehensive consideration of the security issues on the continent," he said.

Russia has long wanted to reorganise Europe's security architecture. Before the war breaks out in 2022. Moscow has demanded that Eastern European states withdraw from NATO.

"There is still no clarity around a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Such may emerge after the talks between the Russian and US delegations in Riyadh," Peskov added.

"There is no such understanding" (about a meeting), he said, specifying that perhaps the situation would change based on the results of today's talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Arranging a possible meeting between the two presidents was one of the topics of the February 12 phone call between them. Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to meet with Putin. Their last meeting took place at the G-20 summit in Osaka in June 2019.

Today, senior US and Russian diplomats met in Saudi Arabia to talk about repairing their countries' deteriorating relations and making a preliminary start on trying to end the war in Ukraine.

Both sides played down the chances that the first summit between the countries since US President Donald Trump took office would lead to a breakthrough.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kiev had not been invited to the Riyadh discussions.  | BGNES