Friday, January 30, 2026 - A senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is welcome to travel to Moscow for direct talks with the Russian leader, pledging that security guarantees would be provided.
Yuri Ushakov, a key foreign policy adviser to the Kremlin,
said Putin has repeatedly made his position clear on a possible meeting.
According to him, if Zelenskyy is genuinely prepared for face-to-face talks,
Moscow remains open to hosting the meeting.
Ushakov added that assurances would be put in place to
guarantee Zelenskyy’s safety should he decide to visit Russia. He also revealed
that the prospect of a Putin–Zelenskyy meeting has come up several times during
recent phone conversations between Putin and United States President Donald
Trump. During those discussions, Trump reportedly suggested that Moscow
consider the option of such a meeting.
The comments come amid renewed diplomatic maneuvering around
possible peace talks. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, recently said
Zelenskyy is ready to meet Putin in person to resolve what he described as two
key issues in negotiations: territorial disputes and the future control of the
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
Putin has previously ruled out traveling to another country
to meet Zelenskyy, insisting instead that any talks must take place in Moscow.
Ukrainian officials have pushed back against that proposal, with Sybiha
previously describing the idea of meeting in Moscow as unacceptable.
Zelenskyy himself has also expressed skepticism, suggesting
that the invitation may be a tactic to delay meaningful negotiations. He has
said that being invited to Moscow under current circumstances appears designed
to prevent a real meeting from happening rather than facilitate one.
Despite the exchange of statements, no date or concrete
framework for a Putin–Zelenskyy meeting has been announced.
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