Putin asks Ukraine’s Zelenskyy to come to Moscow for intended peace discussions

Putin Invites Zelensky to Moscow Amid Ongoing Tensions

Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended an invitation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Moscow, asserting that he “never refused” a meeting. This statement comes from the Russian state news agency, Tass.

“If Zelenskyy is ready for a meeting, please come to Moscow,” Putin reportedly said. He communicated this during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of World War II.

Zelenskyy’s office has not yet responded to inquiries from news sources regarding this invitation.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump mentioned during a press conference that he plans to speak with Putin soon. This comes after a deadline had previously been set for the Russian leader to engage directly with Zelensky.

“I have a good understanding of our objectives,” Trump stated. “We acted decisively, but I will be talking to him in the next few days.”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba criticized Putin’s invitation as a “deliberate, unacceptable proposal,” emphasizing that Zelensky is open to peace talks. Kuleba suggested locations that include neutral countries like Austria, the Vatican, and Turkey, but he feels that mere dialogue won’t change anything without increased pressure on Russia.

Zelenskyy has previously proposed meetings with Putin in third-party locations; however, direct discussions have not occurred. Putin claimed that a well-prepared meeting could lead to positive outcomes, suggesting that Zelensky was “fearing” to meet, without providing details to support this view.

The idea of Zelensky traveling to Russia seems quite unlikely due to the dangers involved, particularly with Putin’s goal reportedly being to unseat Zelensky from power. Former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman expressed these security concerns, stating that there’s “no way for Zelenskyy to travel to Moscow.” He accused Putin of trying to negotiate insincerely while causing division between Zelensky and Western allies.

While European leaders have consistently backed Zelensky against Putin, Trump’s stance appears more ambiguous. Responding to a reporter’s question about whether there are expectations for results from a possible meeting between Putin and Zelensky, he simply stated, “Yes, there must be.”