Zelenskiy invites Putin to come to Kyiv for talks and rejects Russia and Belarus

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the opportunity to meet with the dictator Vladimir Putin in Moscow, as recently suggested by the Russian Federation. Instead, he invited the dictator to Ukraine during a conversation with media representatives on January 29, the LIGA.net.

"Of course, it is impossible for me to meet with Putin in Moscow. It's the same as meeting Putin in Kyiv. I can also invite him to Kyiv, let him come. I will publicly invite him, if he dares," the president said.

He emphasized that Ukraine wants to constructively agree on a real end to the war and on some kind of meeting that will be productive, and discuss the existing issues and resolve them. And the invitations to Moscow are made because the other side does not want a meeting, but cannot afford to say so directly for some reason.

Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is serious about the need to end the war and is in favor of involving Europeans in the process.

"I have always said: I am ready for any format to end the war that will work. But in Moscow and Belarus, it is simply impossible, and it is absolutely clear why – because these are states, one of which is the aggressor, which started and is waging a war against us, killing us, and the other country is its partner in these actions," he emphasized.

• In September 2025, similar "invitations" were already heard from both sides. Zelensky rejected Putin's invitation to come to Moscow and howled because Russia attacks Ukraine with missiles and drones every day. Instead, he said that the dictator could come to Kyiv.
• on January 28, 2026, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said that Zelensky could come to Moscow if he wanted to meet with the Russian dictator. He even promised him "security guarantees." And Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the alleged talks about another venue for the talks were "inappropriate."