Zelensky Responds to Putin's Offer: Meeting is Impossible

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has declared that he does not intend to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. According to him, he has already responded to such an offer by publicly inviting the Russian leader to Kyiv.

Zelensky emphasized that he is open to a direct meeting in the capital of Ukraine, highlighting his willingness to accept Putin. He also added that if either party truly does not wish to negotiate but cannot openly express this for various reasons, proposals may be made that do not actually suggest holding a meeting.

In September 2025, during a visit to China, Vladimir Putin announced that he was inviting Zelensky to Moscow, mentioning that such a meeting had been requested by U.S. President Donald Trump. At that time, Putin emphasized that the meeting could be organized if the Ukrainian side was willing to come to Moscow.

In response to this statement, the Ukrainian president remarked that inviting him to Moscow could indicate the Kremlin's lack of genuine readiness for a meeting, though he simultaneously pointed out that the mention of the topic by Russia is already a positive signal.

Later, the Kremlin stated that any possible negotiations would need to be thoroughly prepared at an expert level in advance.