Zelenskyy expresses willingness to meet Putin at G20 summit in Miami

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated his readiness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the upcoming G20 summit scheduled for December in Miami. In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Zelenskyy emphasized the necessity for both leaders to engage in direct dialogue and make decisions to end the ongoing war, which has now entered its fifth year. This development follows diplomatic efforts by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who visited both Moscow and Kyiv last weekend in an attempt to restart peace negotiations.

Despite Zelenskyy's stated willingness, the Kremlin has not confirmed Putin's attendance. Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that a decision regarding the trip has not been made, and presidential foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov added that the matter has not yet been discussed in Moscow. The Kremlin reiterated its official stance that if Zelenskyy seeks a meeting, he should travel to Moscow, effectively dismissing the prospect of a bilateral discussion in the United States. While the Kremlin had previously indicated in April that Putin might attend following encouragement from U.S. President Donald Trump, the current status remains uncertain.