Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declined Vladimir Putin’s invitation to meet in Moscow. Zelenskyy stated his refusal stems from the continuous missile strikes against Ukraine, making a visit to the Russian capital untenable. In a recent interview, Zelenskyy countered Putin’s proposal by suggesting that Putin travel to Kyiv if he is sincere about holding discussions. Zelenskyy accused Putin of using the invitation to delay negotiations, framing it as a political tactic. The invitation followed Putin’s earlier statement expressing his openness to a meeting with Zelenskyy, suggesting Moscow as a potential location, provided it was carefully planned and designed to be productive. Putin restated his longstanding opposition to Ukraine joining NATO, seeing it as a direct threat to Russia, while exhibiting less resistance to Ukraine’s EU aspirations. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned Putin’s actions, criticizing his disregard for offers from several countries to host the talks, and calling the invitation ‘knowingly unacceptable.’ Sybiha noted that numerous countries have offered to host a meeting, and that increased pressure is required to compel Russia to engage seriously in peace talks.
