Russian President Vladimir Putin open to meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy in third country

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said he is open to meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a third country to help end the ongoing war, marking a possible shift in stalled diplomatic efforts between the two nations.

Speaking after the Victory Day Parade, Putin said he has never refused talks with Zelenskyy and added that a meeting could take place either in Moscow or in another country. However, he stressed that such a summit should happen only after negotiators finalise a comprehensive and long-term peace agreement.

Putin said the role of leaders would be limited to signing the final deal rather than conducting negotiations. He emphasised that specialists and negotiators must first settle key issues to ensure clarity for both sides.

Referring to the earlier Minsk accords, Putin said prolonged discussions without concrete outcomes were ineffective. “We need specialists to work on this so that everything is clear for both sides. Then leaders can meet to sign the agreement,” he said. (ANI)

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