Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday expressed his willingness to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow, adding that he had never ruled out meeting the Ukrainian leader. However, Zelenskyy said the proposal was unacceptable.
“I’ve never ruled out meeting Zelenskyy. But the question is whether it can be meaningful. If meeting with Zelenskyy is well prepared, then I’m ready to meet,” Putin said. “Let Zelenskyy come to Moscow and the meeting will happen.”
Why did Volodymyr Zelenskyy turn down Putin’s demand to meet in Moscow?
Zelenskyy’s government said the proposal was unacceptable, saying Putin continues to mess around with everyone.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said seven countries, including Austria, the Vatican, Switzerland and three Gulf states, offered to host the potential meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy. “These are serious proposals and President Zelenskiy is ready for such a meeting at any point in time,” he posted on X.
While speaking at a presser in Beijing to mark the conclusion of his China visit as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, Putin expressed hope that there is a chance of achieving peace but warned that the war will continue if the talks fail.
“I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The Ukraine conflict can end if common sense prevails. Let’s see how the situation develops. If not, then we will have to accomplish our goals militarily,” said Putin.
He claimed that Russia does not intend to seize land but wants to protect cultural and linguistic rights in contested regions. “We are not fighting for territories, we are fighting for people’s rights so that they can speak their language and practice their culture,” Putin asserted, adding that if those people want to be part of Russia, everyone should respect that decision.
Talking about Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, Putin said that every nation has the right to ensure its security but it should not be at another nation’s expense. However, he said Moscow is not against Kyiv’s economic ambitions, hinting that Ukraine is free to join the European Union.
This comes as Zelenskyy urged European allies to put more pressure on Moscow, as he landed in Denmark on Wednesday as part of his European visit. Earlier in the day, Russia launched more than 500 drones and several missiles to target energy and transport facilities in 14 sites.
