ROME, April 9. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky believes that his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin could take place in the US or the Middle East.
"I am ready for a meeting with Putin, but certainly not in Moscow nor in Kiev. Still, there are a lot of places where we could meet, including the Middle East, Europe and the United States," he told Italy’s RAI radio station in an interview.
Zelensky also pointed to the ongoing negotiation process with the US, which had been focused on the Middle East. "This is why trilateral talks with Russia were postponed, but they will resume," he said.
On January 28, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov confirmed an invitation for Zelensky to visit Moscow for an in-person meeting with Putin. The official stressed that Moscow was ready to ensure Zelensky’s security and create the necessary conditions for work. Ushakov also noted that Moscow had never rejected the idea of a Putin-Zelensky meeting but added that such communication should be carefully prepared in order to yield results.
As soon as Russia expressed readiness to guarantee Zelensky’s security and create conditions for work, the latter changed his rhetoric. He said he had no plans to travel to Moscow and suggested that a meeting be held in Kiev, making it look like it was Moscow that sought communication. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out that it was Zelensky that had requested a meeting with Putin, not the other way around.