Putin: "The Best Place for Talks with Zelensky Is Moscow"

"All Necessary Conditions for Work and Security Will Be Provided"

On September 5 (local time), Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Moscow would be the best place for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia.

According to major foreign media outlets, including RIA Novosti, President Putin stated at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia, that day, "If someone truly wants to meet with us next time, we are ready. The optimal place for this is the Russian capital, the hero city Moscow." He added, "The Ukrainian side wants and has proposed such talks," and emphasized, "We will absolutely provide all necessary conditions for work and security. I guarantee it 100%."

This is not the first time President Putin has expressed his willingness to meet President Zelensky in Moscow. On September 3, during a press conference in China, he suggested that if President Zelensky was ready for talks, he should come to Moscow.

Ukraine rejected this, responding that at least seven countries-including Austria, the Vatican, Switzerland, and three Gulf nations-were prepared to host the talks. Regarding this, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explained, "Zelensky was invited not to surrender, but for dialogue," adding, "That was Putin's proposal."

However, President Putin assessed that even if he were to meet with President Zelensky, it would be difficult to achieve any meaningful results. He said, "Until recently, the Kyiv regime leadership did not speak well of us and ruled out any possibility of direct contact. But now, they are requesting and proposing interaction," yet added, "Russia has said many times that we are ready, but it will be meaningless."

President Putin explained, "Even if there is political will, it is virtually impossible to reach an agreement with the Ukrainian side on the core issues. There are legal and technical difficulties." He has consistently questioned President Zelensky's legal legitimacy, as Zelensky has maintained his presidency without holding elections after the end of his term, citing martial law.

President Putin argued that deploying North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces on Ukrainian territory as a means of guaranteeing Ukraine's security "would become one of the fundamental reasons for drawing Ukraine into NATO." He warned, "If any military forces are deployed there, especially since there is ongoing combat, we will consider them legitimate targets."

He strongly opposed Ukraine's accession to NATO, stating that it directly affects and will continue to affect Russia's long-term security interests, and that it is "absolutely unacceptable."

President Putin emphasized that while every country has the right to choose its own security guarantees, these guarantees must not come at the expense of another country's security. He stated, "(If a security guarantee) agreement is reached, Russia will fully implement it. Naturally, we will respect security guarantees for both Russia and Ukraine."