Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is willing to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a third country, but only after a peace agreement between the two sides is finalized.
Putin made the remarks in Moscow during Russia’s annual Victory Day events, held to mark the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. He attended the parade at Red Square and praised Russian soldiers involved in the war in Ukraine.
The Russia–Ukraine war has continued for more than four years, with thousands reported killed. Several Ukrainian cities have been heavily damaged, while Russia has also faced major economic losses.
In his speech, Putin blamed certain Western leaders for the conflict, citing what he described as broken assurances after the fall of the Berlin Wall that NATO would not expand eastward. He also said the proposed meeting with Zelenskyy should serve as a final step to conclude an agreement, not as a forum for negotiations.
Putin added that if discussions on security with European countries arise, he would prefer to speak only with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.
