‘Yes, of course’: Zelensky says willing to meet Putin at G20 summit in Miami

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his willingness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at the upcoming G20 summit in Miami, according to an interview released on Saturday. The Ukrainian leader made the statement in response to a query from broadcaster Deutsche Welle, emphasizing that the meeting would be about achieving results rather than mere words.

Zelensky reiterated that the meeting is crucial, stating that they "have to come" and "make decisions." He highlighted that the outcome of the meeting is what truly matters, regardless of the specifics of the discussions. The Ukrainian president's comments came in the wake of recent efforts to bring an end to the five-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

In the interview, Zelensky also praised the recent visit of US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Russia and Ukraine, describing it as a "good signal" and stressing the importance of respecting Ukraine's people by having officials from both nations visit their respective capitals. The United States currently holds the presidency of the G20, which consists of 19 nations and the European Union.

Throughout the year, Russia has been welcomed to various G20 events, including a meeting in North Carolina where Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov participated, causing concerns among Ukraine's European allies. A Russian diplomat later announced that Moscow will send officials to a G20 energy meeting in Houston next week.