Путин и Зеленский подпишут перемирие в декабре? Тайная сделка с Трампом. Венедиктов*

Summary

Alexey Venediktov discusses the possibility of a Trump-brokered meeting between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky in Miami on December 20, where they might agree to a ceasefire or freeze in fighting. He calls renewed negotiations positive and estimates a 50% chance of a truce by the end of the year*, while stressing that talks could still collapse. He says Putin publicly favors a final settlement over a temporary freeze, but argues that the parties’ actual positions and proposed terms remain largely unknown.

Venediktov describes the reported Miami meeting as plausible, not certain, and says that if Putin attends, some of his demands may already have been addressed. He views the process as politically driven by leaders rather than foreign ministers. The participation of economic officials, including Maxim Oreshkin, suggests that the talks also cover sanctions and the economic terms of a ceasefire.

Venediktov says relief from banking sanctions is a major Russian priority, and that any easing would likely be gradual. In his view, U.S. action is especially important because dollar transactions and the threat of secondary sanctions affect banks worldwide, though European sanctions could remain.

He argues that sensitive diplomatic proposals are often best discussed privately: public debate can make concessions politically difficult and undermine negotiations. A ceasefire would also require resolving practical questions—not just where the front line lies, but how to administer disputed areas and provide services to residents.

Elections or a referendum in Ukraine would raise difficult questions about displaced people, refugees, voter lists, and which territories are included. Venediktov characterizes any eventual agreement as involving compromise, while warning that its precise terms are not yet known.

On Europe, Venediktov suggests Finnish President Alexander Stubb could be a more acceptable potential interlocutor than some other European leaders, citing his measured approach and relationship with Trump. He also argues that politicians can use fear of Russia to mobilize voters, even as European countries continue to spend heavily on Russian energy. Energy prices and voters’ domestic concerns may constrain how far governments can go in breaking those ties.

The discussion ranges beyond Ukraine. Venediktov expects little change in Serbia’s foreign policy regardless of the election outcome, with the country likely to balance between the EU and Russia. He says Armenia is likewise pursuing its own course among outside powers, without having decided to leave the CSTO.

He comments on unrest and planned demonstrations in France, describing looting and violence as a changing challenge for authorities. He also discusses Russian political and government shifts, including what he sees as a weakening of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s position and pressure on opposition figures.

Presenters and contributors

• Alexey Venediktov* — guest commentator
• Liza Nikina (also rendered as Anikin in the subtitles) — presenter/interviewer
• Zhenya Radionova — joins at the end for the handoff
• Nikita Vasilenko — named in the closing credits

* Identified in the video metadata as a foreign agent under Russian law.