US President Donald Trump has reportedly called on Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky to travel to Moscow for peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Bloomberg, citing sources close to the Ukrainian leader, the suggestion was made during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
The Ukrainian leader reportedly rejected the idea, with people familiar with the conversation telling Bloomberg that Trump's proposal had "upset him." Zelensky was visibly irritated by journalists outside the UN headquarters on Wednesday. When pressed about when he would visit Moscow, the Ukrainian leader replied: "On a f***king missile!"
Earlier this week, Ukraine and 51 of its backers released a statement demanding that Russia accept an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" so that peace talks between Moscow and Kiev can take place. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow will not halt its military operation, accusing Kiev's European sponsors of seeking a pause only "to pump the Kiev regime with weapons."
Trump has recently renewed efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, with his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner traveling to both Moscow and Kiev earlier this month. Witkoff said afterward that he felt "good" about the discussions in both capitals and that Washington hopes diplomacy can bring an end to the conflict.
Moscow has repeatedly said it is ready to settle the Ukraine conflict as long as its root causes are addressed and the realities on the ground are taken into account. Russia's demands include Ukraine abandoning its plans to join NATO and adopting neutral status, accepting restrictions on its armed forces, and formally recognizing Crimea and four other former Ukrainian regions as Russian territory.
Crimea voted to join Russia shortly after the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev. Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions held similar referendums in September 2022. Kiev has consistently rejected Moscow's conditions, insisting on restoring control over all territories it lays claim to and joining NATO.
The Kremlin has maintained that it is ready to welcome Zelensky to Moscow at any time if he truly wishes to reach a deal rather than stage a PR stunt. On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia was ready to "provide security guarantees" to Zelensky if he decided to travel to Moscow.
Key points
- Trump suggested Zelensky meet Putin in Moscow for peace talks during a meeting at the UN General Assembly.
- Ukraine and its backers demand an immediate and unconditional ceasefire for peace talks between Moscow and Kiev.
- Moscow seeks Ukraine to abandon NATO plans, adopt neutral status, and recognize Crimea and other regions as Russian territory.
