As the conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated he is ready to sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin, acknowledging that dialogue is sometimes necessary—even when personal animosity runs deep.
“Sometimes we need it, even if we do not like each other’s faces,” Zelensky commented, highlighting the difficult but essential nature of diplomatic talks.
Trump Comments on Tense Relations Between Leaders
US President Donald Trump weighed in on the strained relationship, noting just how intense the hostility is between the two leaders.
“They hate each other so much they can hardly talk, they are incapable of talking to each other,” Trump said.
He also pointed out a frustrating pattern: when Putin appears ready for negotiations, Zelensky is hesitant, and vice versa.
Currently, according to Trump, Zelensky is open to talks, while Putin remains “uncertain.”
Zelensky Open to Bilateral or Trilateral Talks
Zelensky stressed that he is prepared for either a one-on-one meeting with Putin or a trilateral summit that includes the American president.
“I told President Trump: listen, Mr. President, I am ready for any meeting, but not in Russia,” Zelensky explained.
He emphasized that Ukraine could not agree to Moscow as a venue while the country continues to face daily missile strikes and attacks.
Kyiv Rejects Moscow as a Meeting Location
The Ukrainian leader suggested an alternative: that Putin could travel to Kyiv.
Zelensky argued that Russia’s insistence on hosting talks in Moscow seemed more like a delaying tactic than a serious proposal, reinforcing Kyiv’s stance on the importance of safety and sovereignty during negotiations.
Kremlin Response Warns of Potential Consequences
In response, Vladimir Rogov, head of the Public Chamber Commission on Sovereignty in Russia, issued a sharp warning.
He suggested that any long delays in negotiations would only weaken Zelensky’s position.
Rogov even went so far as to say that if talks were postponed indefinitely, Zelensky’s eventual trip “would not be to Moscow, but to Magadan for a confession,” underscoring the tense rhetoric coming from the Kremlin.