Zelensky vows to come to Moscow for Putin talks 'on a missile'
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Russian side did not interpret Zelensky's remark as ruling out a visit to Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asserted on September 23 that he would journey to Moscow on a missile to engage in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, rejecting Putin's invitation to visit Moscow. This occurred during an impromptu exchange on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Putin has consistently declined to meet Zelensky in person while challenging the Ukrainian president to make the trip to Moscow.
Zelensky has proposed neutral meeting locations instead. Russian officials have interpreted Zelensky's statement as not ruling out a visit to Moscow. The Ukrainian and Russian leaders have not met since the outbreak of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Zelensky has repeatedly attempted to arrange a meeting with Putin, even inviting him to Istanbul in May 2025 for trilateral talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Putin ultimately declined, sending a delegation led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky instead. Zelensky has explored various formats for direct talks, including a possible trilateral meeting involving the United States, with potential opportunities arising from summits like the G20 in Miami.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
