Zelenskyy rejects Putin invitation: ‘He can come to Kyiv’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly declined Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to Moscow for diplomatic negotiations, citing the ongoing missile attacks and war in his country. In an interview with ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz for “This Week,” Zelenskyy expressed his reluctance to travel to Moscow while Ukraine is under siege.
“He can come to Kyiv,” Zelenskyy stated. “I can’t go to Moscow when my country is being bombarded and attacked on a daily basis. I cannot go to the capital of this aggressor.”
Zelenskyy, accompanied by Raddatz, visited a manufacturing plant in western Ukraine that was recently targeted by Russian missiles. The Ukrainian president reiterated that Putin does not seem interested in a meeting while the conflict in Ukraine continues.
Putin had suggested that he was open to meeting with Zelenskyy, stating, “If Zelenskyy is ready, then let him come to Moscow. This meeting will take place.”
Former President Donald Trump has been pushing for a meeting between the two leaders as part of his efforts to broker a peace deal. During a summit in Alaska last month with Putin, Trump aimed to facilitate a trilateral meeting involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine.
However, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently indicated that a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy was unlikely to occur. Zelenskyy expressed readiness to engage in discussions in any format but accused Putin of playing games with the United States.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned that several countries, including Austria, the Holy See, Switzerland, Türkiye, and three Gulf states, were prepared to host peace talks involving Zelenskyy.
Despite Putin’s proposal, Zelenskyy remains steadfast in his commitment to resolving the conflict in Ukraine and is exploring alternative avenues for peace negotiations. The Ukrainian president’s refusal to visit Moscow underscores the gravity of the situation and his determination to protect his country’s interests.
ABC News’ Julia Cherner contributed to this report.
