Zelenskyy rejects Putin’s Moscow invitation, says Russia not serious about peace talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday proposed Moscow as the most suitable venue for a possible meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, even as Kyiv dismissed the idea as an attempt to derail negotiations.

Speaking at a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Putin said: “Next time, if someone really wants to meet with us, we are ready. The best place for this is the capital of Russia, the hero city of Moscow.”

He had earlier told reporters after his visit to China that he was open to inviting Zelenskyy to Moscow if the Ukrainian leader was prepared for talks.

Zelenskyy, however, rejected the suggestion during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. “As I see it, if your aim is to prevent a meeting, then inviting me to Moscow is the way to go,” he said, arguing that the choice of location showed Russia was not serious about dialogue.

The dispute over the venue highlights deeper differences on how peace talks should proceed. Putin has repeatedly said any direct engagement with Zelensky could only take place at the “final stage” of negotiations, while the Ukrainian leader has long advocated early face-to-face talks. Moscow has also questioned Zelenskyy’s legitimacy to negotiate, further complicating the process.

According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, several countries have already expressed readiness to host potential talks. Zelenskyy nonetheless acknowledged that Putin’s mention of a meeting marked a shift, saying it was “not bad” that Moscow had started discussing the possibility.

The 10th Eastern Economic Forum is being held in Vladivostok from September 3–6 under the theme The Far East: Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity, organised by the Roscongress Foundation with TASS as its information partner.