Kremlin calls Putin-Zelenskyy meeting at G20 summit in Miami "impossible"

Ivan Diakonov - 13 September, 06:25

Dmitry Peskov. Photo: TASS

Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal to hold talks on ending the war on the sidelines of the G20 summit in the United States.

Source: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov in comments to AFP, as reported by France24

Details: In an interview published on Saturday, Zelenskyy said he is ready to travel to the G20 summit in Miami and meet Putin if the Russian ruler also attends the meeting.

However, Peskov immediately rejected such a possibility, calling it "impossible". He stressed that Putin is ready to meet Zelenskyy only in Moscow.

When asked whether the Kremlin is considering an alternative location for a meeting with Zelenskyy, Peskov replied: "There is a readiness to meet him in Moscow."

There is currently no official confirmation that Putin will attend the G20 summit in December.

For his part, Zelenskyy said in a conversation with German journalists that if both leaders were invited to the summit, he would be ready for talks.

"We have to come. We have to meet, to speak, and make decisions. It's not about words. What I will tell him or what he wants to tell me, it doesn't matter," the Ukrainian leader said. All that matters are "results", he added.

Assessing Ukraine's position ahead of possible diplomatic contact, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine is now much stronger on the battlefield than it was last year. That is why the Ukrainian authorities consider the current position favourable for starting negotiations.

For reference: Ukraine has repeatedly proposed in recent years that Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin hold a personal meeting in neutral territory to discuss ending Russia's war against Ukraine. However, Russia has consistently rejected the proposal, offering a meeting only in Moscow.

Background:

Last weekend, US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv. Washington continues to insist on direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
On 12 September, Kushner addressed the annual YES security forum in Kyiv by video link. He said that the only thing missing for an agreement to end the war is Ukraine's consent to give up its territories within the boundaries demanded by Putin.
The Ukrainian side had previously suggested that negotiations could take place as early as September. However, on 7 September, the Kremlin said that it was "too early" to discuss the location or dates of meetings.
On 12 September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Russia's invitation for Zelenskyy to visit Moscow "a gesture of goodwill". He also claimed that Russia remains open to talks with Ukraine, but said it would not halt the fighting for the duration of such talks.

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