Putin invites Zelenskyy to meet him in Moscow, cites Trump’s request at Alaska meet

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he is prepared to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow, adding that the idea was raised by US President Donald Trump during their meeting in Alaska last month. 

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Putin said he has “never refused” such a meeting as long as it is well-prepared and capable of producing “positive outcomes.” 

He added that Trump asked if such a meeting could be arranged, to which he replied that it was possible and that “if Zelenskyy is ready, let him come to Moscow, then the meeting will take place.” 

The Alaska engagement between Trump and Putin in August was their first presidential-level meeting in more than four years and lasted about three hours. Both leaders later told reporters they saw “good results” and agreed to keep working-level contacts going. 

Putin’s fresh signal on talks with Kyiv now ties that diplomatic opening to a potential face-to-face with Zelenskyy, though he stressed the need for groundwork before any meeting. 

Neither side has announced timelines or a format for the proposed encounter. For now, Putin’s invitation puts the onus on Kyiv to respond to a meeting on Russian soil, even as fighting and periodic missile and drone strikes continue to define the wider war.