The U.S. Answered Why Putin Is Afraid Of Meeting With Zelensky

The Kremlin is trying to find a balance.

The Kremlin is signaling that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin does not want to hold a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. This is how the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed recent statements by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Lavrov is known to have said that the Kremlin ruler will meet with the Ukrainian president only "when the agenda for the summit is ready," however, he said, "this agenda is not ready at all."

Analysts noted that the Kremlin has repeatedly used Lavrov to clarify its position, and his interview with the U.S. media and this time is likely intended to clarify that position to a Western audience.

The ISW experts said the Russian leadership probably believes that a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky could undermine Putin's domestic political justification for Russia's war in Ukraine. In doing so, they cite interlocutors in the Kremlin of the Russian opposition publication Verstka. The latter reported on August 22 that Putin and his advisers fear reputational consequences as a result of the meeting with Zelensky.

"A source who works with the Kremlin's domestic political projects said that a statement by Kremlin presidential aide Yuri Ushakov on August 18 about 'raising the level' of delegations at the talks 'looks more like a polite refusal' of the proposed meeting between Putin and Zelensky," the piece said."

The ISW analysts believe the Kremlin is trying to strike a balance between satisfying a domestic audience that is only willing to accept a complete Russian victory and preventing further U.S. sanctions that could affect Russia's ability to sustain its military efforts.

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