For the first time, Putin says he is open to meeting Zelensky outside Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said for the first time that he is willing to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky outside Russia. The remark came as a US-mediated three-day ceasefire holds, prompting Kyiv to weigh hosts including Türkiye and Hungary for any direct talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signalled, for the first time, that he could be willing to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in a third country. The remark came at a critical moment, with the US-mediated three-day ceasefire holding and a prisoner exchange confirmed by both sides.
A Kremlin spokesperson said any venue would have to be 'neutral and trustworthy', hinting that Türkiye and Hungary are under active consideration. Ankara reminded that it has hosted Russian-Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul on several occasions since 2022, and reiterated its readiness to host any new round of talks.
Kyiv said it would treat any encounter as 'preliminary discussions' until conditions are clear. US President Donald Trump argued that a Putin-Zelensky meeting would lay the groundwork for a durable peace, and said he is keeping pressure on both sides to extend the ceasefire and start substantive negotiations.
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