On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that Moscow would be the most appropriate location for a potential meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite Kyiv dismissing the proposal as an effort to obstruct negotiations.
During a plenary session at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Putin remarked: “Next time, if someone genuinely wishes to meet with us, we are prepared. The ideal location for this is the capital of Russia, the heroic city of Moscow.”
Previously, he informed reporters following his visit to China that he was willing to extend an invitation to Zelenskyy to come to Moscow, provided the Ukrainian leader was ready for discussions.
However, Zelenskyy rejected the proposal during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. “In my view, if your intention is to hinder a meeting, then inviting me to Moscow is the way to achieve that,” he stated, contending that the choice of venue indicated Russia’s lack of seriousness regarding dialogue.
The contention over the meeting location underscores more profound disagreements on the progression of peace talks. Putin has consistently asserted that any direct interaction with Zelenskyy could only occur at the “final stage” of negotiations, while the Ukrainian leader has long supported early in-person discussions. Moscow has also raised questions about Zelenskyy’s legitimacy to negotiate, further complicating the situation.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted that several nations have already shown willingness to host potential talks. Nevertheless, Zelenskyy acknowledged that Putin’s reference to a meeting represented a change, stating it was “not bad” that Moscow had begun to consider the possibility.
The 10th Eastern Economic Forum is taking place in Vladivostok from September 3–6, under the theme The Far East: Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity, organized by the Roscongress Foundation with TASS serving as its information partner.
