Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has floated the idea of hosting peace talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, in Moscow, according to sources briefed on a recent phone call between Putin and United States President, Donald Trump.
The suggestion came as Trump held high-level discussions in Washington with Zelensky and several European leaders who continue to back Kyiv against Russia’s invasion.
One source familiar with the exchange told AFP that “Putin mentioned Moscow” during Monday’s call, but Zelensky immediately dismissed the proposal.
European officials reportedly cautioned Trump that accepting Putin’s invitation would be unwise.
Following the White House summit, which included leaders of Germany, France, Finland, Italy, and the United Kingdom, Trump argued that direct talks between Putin and Zelensky were essential to halting the war, now in its fourth year.
Although Zelensky has expressed a willingness to meet Putin in pursuit of peace, he has insisted such talks must be credible and not staged on Moscow’s terms.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed to Russian state media that Putin told Trump he was “open” to the idea of negotiations.
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that any presidential-level meeting would require meticulous preparation.
Switzerland, meanwhile, has indicated it would grant Putin immunity if he traveled there for peace discussions, despite the ICC’s outstanding arrest warrant against him.
The developments follow Trump’s recent meeting with Putin in Alaska, where Washington’s longstanding policy of isolating the Russian leader was effectively set aside.
However, the U.S. president left the encounter without securing any commitments from Moscow toward ending the conflict.