Zelenskyy rejects Putin’s Moscow invitation, calls it a 'tactic to delay talks'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to meet in Moscow, describing it as a tactic to avoid genuine talks.

Speaking at a press conference in Paris after the “Coalition of the Willing” summit, Zelenskyy said US partners had relayed Putin’s proposal but questioned its intent.

“As I see it, if your aim is to prevent a meeting, then inviting me to Moscow is the way to go,” he said, casting doubt on Russia’s willingness to engage in real negotiations.
This followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks during his visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, where he said the war in Ukraine could be resolved through negotiations “if common sense prevails,” but cautioned he was ready to use force if required.

Responding to Putin's invitation, Zelenskyy said, “Our American partners have informed us that Putin has invited me to Moscow. I believe that if you want to prevent the meeting from taking place, you should invite me to Moscow."

He called it more of a diplomatic delay than a genuine effort to resolve the ongoing conflict.