MOSCOW, August 16. /TASS/. The latest meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska marked a significant step toward establishing long-term peace in Ukraine. However, the country’s former Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov (2010-2014) warned that Vladimir Zelensky may attempt to undermine progress during his upcoming meeting with Trump scheduled for Monday.

Azarov expressed a cautiously optimistic view of the summit. "I believe a meaningful step has been taken toward a settlement," he stated. "Most likely, we are witnessing a convergence of two processes - the pursuit of a ceasefire and the effort to restore lasting peace."

At the same time, Azarov expressed concern that Zelensky would try to disrupt the negotiations. "It’s clear he will attempt to hinder progress. The outcome will largely depend on Trump’s stance and how firm he is in his discussions - not only with Zelensky but also with his British allies. That’s the key question. We’ll see - Monday is not far off," Azarov remarked.

He also highlighted that after his meeting with Putin, Trump appeared to have gained a clearer understanding of the situation. Azarov praised the American leader’s assertion that the best way to resolve the conflict in Ukraine is to negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement, rather than merely a ceasefire. "The process has evolved. Initially, the focus was solely on a ceasefire - without conditions or guarantees. Now, however, Trump has emphasized that what really matters is long-term peace, not just a temporary truce. These are fundamentally different goals. If we can move toward establishing a sustainable peace, there is hope. It may not happen overnight or within a week or two, but progress is possible. We must aim for a lasting peace," Azarov concluded.

The Russian-US summit took place on August 15 at the Elmendorf-Richardson military base in Alaska. Over approximately three hours, the leaders engaged in various discussions, including a private one-on-one conversation aboard Trump’s limousine en route to the main venue, followed by a small-group meeting with three participants from each side. The Russian delegation included Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the US team, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Following the talks, Putin stated that the main focus was the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.

Upon returning to Washington, Trump spoke by telephone with Zelensky, and then with the leaders of Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland and France, the NATO secretary-general and the head of the European Commission. Zelensky later said he would discuss "details of ending the conflict" with Trump in Washington on Monday. According to The New York Times, Trump also invited European leaders to join him in a meeting with Zelensky.