If Zelenskyy wants direct talks with Putin, let him come to Moscow. We will ensure necessary conditions are in place – Kremlin
Russian dictator’s aide Yuri Ushakov said Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre had told Putin during telephone conversations that Zelenskyy was interested in direct talks. In response, Putin invited the Ukrainian leader to Moscow.
Ushakov made the remarks in an interview with the Vesti television channel, Censor.NET reports, citing Russia’s Interfax.
"Let him come to Moscow"
According to Ushakov, both the Norwegian prime minister and the Finnish president "conveyed" Zelenskyy’s "strong interest" in a direct conversation to the Russian dictator.
The aide said Putin reminded Stubb and Støre of the conditions under which he could meet Zelenskyy. Ushakov called the Ukrainian president "illegitimate" and said, "these words have already been repeated a million times".
"If Zelenskyy really wants to hold direct talks, let him come to Moscow, where all necessary conditions will be ensured, including in terms of security," he said.
When the leaders could meet
Ushakov also said the Russian side had stressed that contact between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia would only make sense once the negotiating process had concluded.
"Some documents will be drawn up in the context of a long-term settlement concerning Ukraine, and after that the leaders of the two countries could meet. The negotiators would be ready to present the documents to them, and the leaders, in turn, would be ready to sign them," the Russian dictator’s aide explained.
What Ukraine says
- Earlier, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Stubb and Støre’s conversation with Putin had been coordinated with Kyiv. According to him, Ukraine is ready for a partial or full ceasefire but will not take unilateral steps. He also noted that Putin currently "shows no genuine willingness to end the war".
