The announcement appears to preclude any kind of top-level meeting or breakthrough ahead of the 50-day deadline for an agreement given by President Donald Trump.

The Kremlin said on Friday that a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy could only happen as a final step to seal a peace deal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it was unlikely that such a meeting could occur by the end of August,

The Kremlin has commented on the possibility of a meeting between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this summer, Russia's Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says.