Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has firmly dismissed Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s invitation to hold talks in Moscow, insisting that the only acceptable venue would be Kyiv.
Speaking to ABC News, Zelensky explained his stance, stressing that it was impossible for him to travel to the Russian capital while Ukraine remained under daily missile strikes and attacks. “He can come to Kyiv,” the president said, adding: “I can’t go to Moscow when my country is under missiles, under attack each day. I can’t go to the capital of this terrorist. And he understands this.”
Zelensky described Putin’s offer as an attempt to delay genuine negotiations rather than advance them. According to him, the suggestion was designed to appear as an opening while being, in reality, unacceptable for Ukraine. “If a person doesn’t want to meet during the war, of course he can propose something which can’t be accepted by me or by others,” he noted.
For his part, Putin has stated that he is not considering travelling abroad to meet Zelensky but is prepared to host talks in Moscow. The Kremlin’s line was quickly rejected by Kyiv. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha defined Putin’s invitation as “unacceptable,” pointing out that it ignored the realities of Russia’s ongoing aggression.
The exchange comes shortly after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held separate conversations with both leaders – in person with Putin during a visit to China and over the phone with Zelensky. Erdoğan concluded that conditions for a direct meeting between the two presidents were not yet in place, underlining the gulf that remains between Moscow and Kyiv.
