**Putin-Zelensky Summit: Is It Just a Dream?**

As plans for a much-anticipated meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin falter, discussions about possible venues are intensifying amid diplomatic tensions.

Amid ongoing conflict and political maneuvering, the idea of a summit between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin appears increasingly distant. Initial optimism expressed by former U.S. President Donald Trump after a recent phone call with Putin has been met with skepticism as the Kremlin outlines stringent preconditions for any meeting. With potential locations for the summit ranging from Geneva to Budapest, the likelihood of a productive dialogue is uncertain.

Many have suggested cities including Geneva, Vienna, Budapest, and Istanbul as potential meeting sites. However, reactions vary widely. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has even offered Hungary as a host, calling for only short notice to ensure safe and equal conditions. Yet, Zelensky has expressed apprehensions about Budapest due to its contentious diplomatic history, particularly Prime Minister Viktor Orban's close ties with Russia and his historical resistance to supporting Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed this sentiment, recalling a previous summit held in Budapest that rendered Ukraine’s security assurances ineffective after Russia’s annexation of Crimea. He suggested that perhaps another venue would be more appropriate this time around, indicating a deeper concern over past concessions that have led to ongoing instability.

While Zelensky has emphasized that he would prefer any discussions to occur only after solid security guarantees from Kyiv’s allies are established – essentially aligning with Western support and excluding Russian influence – this condition is likely to create further friction with the Kremlin, which insists on negotiating under its own terms.

Meanwhile, potential alternative venues like Switzerland and Turkey have also been discussed, with both offering relative neutrality in diplomatic affairs. The Vatican and Saudi Arabia have joined the list of possibilities, with the former historically positioning itself as a peace intermediary and the latter having acted as a broker in previous exchanges.

As the war shows no signs of subsiding — evident from Russia’s recent comprehensive strikes against Ukraine, which resulted in casualties — Zelensky maintains an urgent call for pressure on Moscow to engage earnestly in negotiations. The ongoing situation underlines the complex, and often fraught, interplay of international relations amidst the backdrop of war. The prospects for a meaningful summit remain dim, as neither side appears willing to compromise on core principles.