Kremlin Says Putin Will Only Meet Zelensky in Moscow, Open to Dialogue with Europe
The Kremlin spokesperson announced that Vladimir Putin will only meet with the President of Ukraine in Moscow, and this position remains unchanged. Dmitry Peskov stated that recent remarks by Volodymyr Zelensky about not going to Moscow do not present any new development.
Peskov added in a press conference that some European countries have started discussions on the necessity of dialogue with Russia, a process Moscow welcomes. According to him, Putin’s stance on the potential meeting location with Zelensky is “clear to everyone.”
The Kremlin official also noted that so far, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have not taken steps to establish direct contact with Putin. He described the complete severance of communications by some European countries with Russia as a sign of “political ignorance and short-sightedness.”
Peskov mentioned that there is a general understanding regarding holding the next round of Ukraine peace negotiations and that the meeting is expected to take place soon. He emphasized that the Kremlin will announce the time and place of these negotiations.
In another part of his remarks, the Kremlin spokesperson addressed the issue of Russian oil and petroleum product shipments to Cuba, stating that Moscow emphasizes constructive dialogue with Washington to resolve this matter. He added that Russia does not seek to escalate tensions with the United States over the oil shipments to Cuba and is simultaneously in contact with Cuban officials to explore assistance options amid the fuel crisis.
