Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Moscow, stating he has not ruled out a direct Putin Zelenskyy meeting to discuss the ongoing conflict.
Putin Invites Zelenskyy to Moscow
While visiting China for a military parade, Putin extended the offer for direct talks in the Russian capital. “If Zelenskyy is ready for a meeting, let him come to Moscow,” Putin stated, according to the Tass news agency. He was in the country meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The event in China was a commemoration of the 80th anniversary of World War II. The Kremlin chief has previously refused to engage directly with the Ukrainian president.
Proposed Putin Zelenskyy Meeting Faces Hurdles
A trip for Zelenskyy to Russia is considered highly unlikely, as one of Putin’s chief stated aims is to oust the Ukrainian leader from Kyiv.
Former CIA Moscow Station Chief Dan Hoffman stated, “There’s no way that Zelenskyy should be traveling to Moscow.” Hoffman emphasized the reality of the situation, noting, “Putin invaded Ukraine.“
According to Hoffman, Putin’s invitation is a strategic move rather than a genuine effort toward Ukraine peace talks. “Putin is doing this to make it appear as if he will negotiate in good faith and try and drive a wedge between Zelenskyy and the United States, as well as Zelenskyy and Europe,” he said.
Previous Efforts and Zelenskyy Response to Putin
The Zelenskyy response to Putin in the past has involved proposing face-to-face meetings on multiple occasions. These proposals suggested a neutral, third-party nation, such as Turkey, host the talks.
European leaders have consistently and staunchly backed Zelenskyy in his opposition to Putin.
Trump Weighs in on Potential Meeting
On Tuesday, former President Trump told reporters there would be “consequences” if a meeting between the two leaders is not announced soon. When asked to clarify what those consequences would be, Trump simply replied, “Yeah, there will be.”
Trump’s position on the matter has remained more ambiguous since he entered office. It is currently unclear if he will view Putin’s offer as genuine diplomacy or a false attempt at statesmanship.
