‘Come To Moscow’: Kremlin’s Message To Zelenskyy Amid Renewed Diplomatic Push

Last Updated:September 12, 2026, 7:03 PM IST

Zelenskyy said he is ready to meet Putin at the G20, stressing that any talks must focus on decisions and results, while the Kremlin said he can come to Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; Russian President Vladimir Putin (AFP photo)

Amid renewed efforts to revive talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy can come to Moscow if he wants to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that the invitation remains valid.

“If he really wants to meet with Putin, Putin has already said that he could fly to Moscow,” Peskov said.

His comments came after Zelenskyy said he was willing to meet Putin at the G20 summit in Miami in December, if both leaders were invited. Speaking to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Zelenskyy said he would attend the summit and meet Putin if the Russian president was there.

“Yes, of course. We have to come. We have to meet, to speak and make decisions,” Zelenskyy said.

Asked what he would tell Putin “straight to his face”, Zelenskyy said the meeting should not be about what either leader would say, but about what it achieves.

“It’s not about words. What I will tell him or what he wants to tell me, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. Matters only result. Result matters. That’s it.”

The proposed meeting would be the first face-to-face encounter between Putin and Zelenskyy since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

However, there is still no confirmation that Putin will attend the Miami summit. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said on Saturday that the question of Putin’s possible attendance had not yet been discussed in Moscow.

The G20 leaders’ summit is scheduled for December 14-15 in Miami. Zelenskyy’s proposal comes as US-led diplomatic efforts continue, with American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner having recently held talks in both Moscow and Kyiv.

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Where and when has Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed to meet Vladimir Putin for direct talks?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated he is willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Miami, Florida, which is scheduled to take place on December 14-15. Zelenskyy indicated he would attend and meet with Putin if the Russian president also participates in the summit.

What is the Kremlin’s official stance on where a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin should take place?

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that if Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to meet with Vladimir Putin, he can fly to Moscow, noting that this invitation remains valid. This aligns with statements from Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, who previously noted that if Zelenskyy wants to meet, he should call Moscow, where Russia is ready to receive him for talks.

When was the last time Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a face-to-face meeting?

The two leaders last met face-to-face in December 2019 in Paris, France. That meeting was held alongside the presidents of France and Germany under the Normandy Four negotiating format. A meeting at the G20 summit in Miami would mark their first face-to-face encounter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

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Anushka Vats

Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can …Read More

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