Zelensky suggests Putin's possibility, but only in a position outside Russia.
In an interview with ABC News on September 7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the potential for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, shedding light on the ongoing diplomatic discussions between the two leaders.
Zelenskyy revealed that Putin has proposed conditions for the meeting that he cannot accept. One of the contentious points is the proposed location of the meeting, with Putin suggesting Kyiv. However, Zelenskyy explained that he is not willing to meet on Russian territory due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Interestingly, French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier proposed Geneva, Switzerland, as a possible neutral venue for a bilateral meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin, emphasising the city's history as a location for international diplomacy.
Zelenskyy is open to a meeting with Putin, but he believes that Putin is proposing the meeting in Kyiv to postpone it again. The Ukrainian President is also open to a trilateral meeting, inviting Putin to join a meeting in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy's unwillingness to meet on Russian territory is due to the ongoing missile strikes and attacks his country faces daily. Putin, according to Zelenskyy, understands his position, but the conditions for the meeting, as proposed by Putin, remain unclear.
It is unknown if Putin's readiness to meet with Zelenskyy is a recent development or if it was previously discussed. Reports suggest that Putin is willing to meet with Zelenskyy "anywhere," not just in Moscow, according to Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. However, Fico did not specify whether Putin proposed a specific location for the meeting.
Whether former U.S. President Donald Trump played a role in Putin's readiness to meet with Zelenskyy remains unclear. Fico met with Putin in China, where this conversation took place.
As the situation unfolds, the international community watches with bated breath, hoping for a resolution to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The location and conditions for the potential meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin continue to be a point of contention, with both leaders expressing their readiness for diplomatic discussions.
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