Amid Ukraine-Russia crisis, Zelensky proposes meeting with Putin at G20 in Miami

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his openness to meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at a G20 summit in December, amidst intensifying efforts to end the conflict between the two nations. The Ukrainian leader made this statement in an interview released on Saturday, as Washington attempts to revive long-stalled negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict, which has claimed the lives of thousands since the start of the war in 2014.

The United States, currently leading the Group of 20 major economies, is seeking to facilitate talks between Kyiv and Moscow. This year's G20 summit is scheduled to take place in Miami. Russia's finance minister already attended a G20 meeting, causing concern among some of Ukraine's allies. A Russian diplomat confirmed that Moscow will also send officials to a G20 energy meeting in Houston next week.

When asked if he would be willing to meet Putin at the December summit, Zelensky responded, "Yes, of course. 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. It doesn't matter. Matters only result. Result matters. That's it."

President Zelensky's comments came following meetings between US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Russian counterparts in Moscow. The Kremlin described their discussions as "extremely frank" and "constructive." Zelensky praised the visit, stating it was a "good signal" and emphasized the importance of respecting Ukraine's people.

Zelensky also noted that Ukraine has significantly strengthened its position on the battlefield compared to the previous year, with Russia suffering heavy losses. He expressed optimism about the prospects for negotiations, stating, "Ukraine now is much stronger than last year on the battlefield. Russia was sustaining heavy battlefield losses, paying a big price for very slow moves on the battlefield. That's why we think that we have now a good position for negotiations."

However, the Kremlin remains cautious, with the Russian Foreign Ministry stating that it is "too early" to discuss a venue or dates for potential negotiations. Tensions between the two sides have escalated in recent months, with both sides conducting long-range strikes that have resulted in the highest civilian death toll since the early stages of the war.

Zelensky urged his allies to provide more interceptor missiles to defend against Russian air attacks, highlighting the challenge of acquiring sufficient missiles for NATO's requirements.