Despite President Trump's efforts to bring Putin and Zelenskyy together, their meeting remains elusive. The fact is top leaders usually meet after the difficulties have been ironed out by seasoned negotiators. And as Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed somewhat bluntly, "there are no plans for a Putin Zelenskyy summit". What then are the chances of success?
Ukraine is a thorny issue. Consider, for example, the Donbas region. Rich in coal and metal, it developed into an industrial hub. Although Russophone, the jobs attracted ethnic Ukrainians over the years.
The Russians control 88 percent of the area but some well-fortified enclaves are held by the Ukrainians. The problems are complicated enough for a peacemaker to throw up his hands in frustration and exclaim, 'Why can't these people live together?'
It was the same in India when the British partitioned it in 1947. Centers of Muslim culture and famous monuments like the Taj Mahal were left behind in India while Muslims (many of them) had to move to an alien place to them now called Pakistan.
Not the only region with such a problem. Look at Spain with its Catalans. Or Italy with its more prosperous north -- Milan could not be more different than Palermo in Sicily. The latter's architecture, food, even language have significant differences and the people are definitely more laid back.
Even England after the Norman conquest was split by language, also appearance, as the Saxons descended from the Vikings were blonde. Their quarrels long forgotten, they are all British now. And Germany, once a jumble of squabbling states, were cobbled together into one country by Bismarck.
With so many precedents, it is not impossible to picture a peaceful future Ukraine. However, given the existing animosity and the loss of life, the wounds are too recent to have healed. To be fair to the Russians and Ukrainians, an overseer/referee needs to be found.
Poland is a neighbor and knows the region although unhappy WW2 memories remain of when the western part of Ukraine sided with the Nazis. They even helped run the Auschwitz concentration camp. But it's seven decades since, and the people of the world, including those inhabiting Ukraine, are a new generation.
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