Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov stated on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would welcome Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky for direct talks in Moscow if he is prepared for dialogue. However, Zelensky’s 2022 decree banning negotiations with Putin remains unrevoked and has created a significant barrier to communication.
Ushakov noted that Putin had repeatedly expressed willingness to host the Ukrainian leader “if he is truly ready for a meeting,” but stressed the need for thorough preparation to achieve specific results. This follows last week’s first trilateral discussions between Russian, U.S., and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi, which U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff described as “very constructive.”
An unnamed U.S. official stated that negotiations are “very close” to producing a Putin-Zelensky meeting but emphasized the need for additional talks before any such summit can occur. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the next trilateral meeting will take place on Sunday.
Russian officials have highlighted that Zelensky’s decree, signed in 2022 following referendums in four Ukrainian regions, has not been repealed by Kyiv. They also raised concerns about Zelensky’s ability to sign binding agreements after his term expires in May 2024, as he has refused to hold new elections under martial law.