Putin Plans Zelenskyy Moscow Meeting Amid Kyiv Rejection, Seven Hosts Offered

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed openness to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow to discuss ending the ongoing war, stating the possibility during his visit to China. However, Putin questioned the utility of such talks and demanded that the meeting be held in Moscow, casting doubts on Zelenskyy's legitimacy and his presidential term. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded by rejecting the Moscow venue as unacceptable and highlighted that at least seven countries, including Austria, the Vatican, Switzerland, Turkey, and several Gulf states, have offered to host peace talks, with Zelenskyy ready to meet at any time. Sybiha accused Russia of delaying the peace process with unacceptable proposals and emphasized that increased international pressure is needed to compel Russia to engage seriously in negotiations. US President Donald Trump has supported the idea of a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy and indicated plans to discuss the war with Putin soon, though no agreement has been reached on the format or venue. The situation remains tense, with Kyiv insisting on sovereignty over its territory and Moscow insisting on retaining annexed regions as conditions for peace.