During the interview, Ushakov noted that the President of Russia has repeatedly stated his readiness to meet with Zelensky if the latter expresses a desire. "We invite him to Moscow and guarantee safety and all necessary conditions for conducting negotiations," he emphasized.
Additionally, Putin's assistant mentioned that U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the issue of a meeting between Putin and Zelensky in his phone conversations with the Russian leader.
“We are open to communication, but it is important that such meetings are well-prepared and aimed at achieving specific results,” Ushakov added.
The discussion of a possible meeting between Putin and Zelensky began after trilateral negotiations between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine, which took place in Abu Dhabi on January 23-24. These discussions received positive feedback from all participants. An Axios source noted at the time that the parties were "very close to organizing a meeting between Putin and Zelensky."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga confirmed that Zelensky is ready to meet with the Russian president to discuss issues related to territories and the future of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which remain the most sensitive within the peace process.
In September 2025, Vladimir Putin stated that he does not rule out the possibility of a meeting with Zelensky and proposed to hold negotiations in Moscow. However, the Ukrainian leader noted that this proposal indicates that the Russian side is not yet ready for such a meeting.
