Kyiv, September 7, 2025: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal for a meeting in Moscow, calling the choice of venue unrealistic and indicative of Russia’s lack of genuine interest in negotiations. In an interview with U.S. media, Zelenskyy stated, “I cannot go to the capital of these terrorists” as Ukraine faces “missile attacks and assaults every day.” Instead, he countered, “Putin can come to Kyiv,” as reported by Euronews.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been pushing for a face-to-face meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine. Last month, a summit in Alaska with Putin aimed for a bilateral or trilateral meeting. After Zelenskyy’s subsequent visit to Washington and discussions with European leaders, Trump indicated that Putin and Zelenskyy would meet, but Moscow has imposed additional conditions, stalling progress while intensifying shelling on Ukrainian cities.

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This week, Putin expressed readiness to meet Zelenskyy “in Moscow.” On Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified that Zelenskyy was invited to Russia’s capital “for talks, not surrender,” according to Euronews. Speaking in Paris after the “Coalition of the Resolute” summit, Zelenskyy criticized Putin’s invitation. “If you don’t want to meet, I suppose you’d invite me to Moscow,” he remarked, adding that Russia’s leadership vocalizing any openness to a personal meeting is itself an achievement, per Euronews.