Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he is ready to talk with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but not in Moscow or Minsk, Ukrinform reported.
„Of course, it is impossible for me to meet with Putin in Moscow. This is the same as meeting with Putin in Kiev. And I can invite him to Kiev, let him come. I publicly invite him, if he dares, of course“, Zelensky said.
He stressed that he wants to conclude a constructive agreement that would end the war.
„We want to agree on a meeting that could be productive and constructive. We want to discuss current issues and resolve them. But if someone does not want to have a meeting and for some reason cannot afford to say it outright, then these invitations to meetings in Moscow are being sent. It is clear what is happening“, Zelensky pointed out.
According to him, he is ready for any realistic format of a leaders' meeting. “I do not know what the result will be, but at least it would be better than what is happening today“, Zelensky also said.
He also stated that a meeting in Russia or Belarus is impossible, because these are countries, one of which is the aggressor who started and is waging a war against Ukraine, and the other is a partner in these actions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented earlier today on the issue of a possible meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine – Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. Earlier this week, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said that the Russian president was open to the idea of meeting Zelensky.
"I would like to remind you that Putin did not invite Zelensky anywhere and did not offer him any meetings," the Kremlin spokesman said. "And Zelensky requested the meeting - Zelensky actually initiated the meeting. And in response, President Putin told him: "We are ready, but only in Moscow." "It is very important to remember this," Peskov stressed.
The Kremlin spokesman was also asked to comment on the information released by US President Donald Trump that he had asked his Russian counterpart to refrain from strikes on Kiev from February 1, "in order to create favorable conditions for negotiations."
"President Trump did indeed personally request President Putin to refrain from strikes on Kiev for a week, starting from February 1, in order to create favorable conditions for negotiations," the Kremlin spokesman noted. He did not specify what the Russian side's response was. "I have nothing to add to what has already been said," Peskov said.
Earlier, Trump said that he had personally asked Putin to stop the Russian army's strikes on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities for a week due to record cold. According to Trump, the Russian leader "has agreed to do it".