Putin may meet Zelenskyy to provoke Ukraine out of peace talks – expert

“Why would Putin do this? To try to provoke Zelenskyy, throw him off balance, and knock him out of the negotiation process,” the analyst explained.

He added that Zelenskyy also faced challenges during talks in Washington, where a journalist asked provocative questions about his suit and showed a “not entirely accurate” map of Ukraine with occupied territories.

“With Putin, it will be more difficult, much more difficult, because he will definitely provoke, try to draw out an emotional reaction, and attempt to derail Ukraine from the negotiation process — trying to make Zelenskyy shout or spark a conflict. The Russians want to use this to prevent a trilateral meeting because with Trump involved, there would be a moderator to control the discussion and identify provocateurs. Without that, Putin has more opportunities to use the situation to his advantage,” Nesvitaylov said.

Zelenskyy-Putin meeting
Putin confirmed his willingness to meet Zelenskyy during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 18, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.

Although the Kremlin has not yet given official approval, a senior U.S. administration official told Reuters that the meeting could take place in Hungary. Merz added it is expected within the next two weeks.

French President Emmanuel Macron suggested holding peace talks in Geneva, which could serve as a neutral venue for the summit.

On Aug. 19, Trump told reporters that ahead of the trilateral meeting between leaders of Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia, Zelenskyy and Putin “must meet one-on-one.”