Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he is open to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow but questioned whether such talks would be worthwhile.
Zelenskyy has been pressing for a face-to-face meeting to discuss a possible deal, while U.S. President Donald Trump, who has sought to broker a peace settlement, has said he wants the two leaders to meet.
Speaking at the end of a visit to China, Putin reiterated that he has never ruled out talks with Zelenskyy but said any meeting must be carefully prepared and lead to tangible results.
“As for a meeting with Zelenskyy, I have never ruled out the possibility of such a meeting. But is there any point? Let’s see,” Putin said.
The Russian leader also said Ukraine would need to cancel martial law, hold elections and conduct a referendum on territorial questions before progress could be made. He vowed to carry on fighting in Ukraine if a peace deal cannot be reached.
