Kremlin says Zelensky-Putin meeting unlikely this summer

That is according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ukrinform reports.

When asked about whether such a meeting could happen by the end of the summer, Peskov said the amount of work needed to bring the sides closer makes it unlikely to happen quickly.

"We live in a time when it's hard to say anything definitively. But given the amount of work required to bring positions closer together — and for us, to ensure our interests — it's hard to imagine that this distance could be bridged in a single leap," Peskov said.

Ukrinform reported earlier that Ukraine had proposed a face-to-face meeting between Zelensky and Putin during talks between Ukraine and Russia held in Istanbul on July 23.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry also reiterated that Kyiv insists on a leaders' summit to achieve concrete steps toward peace. President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to meet with Vladimir Putin any day the Russian leader is willing to do so.