Moscow, Russia. The Kremlin said Russia has reiterated its invitation for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to come to Moscow for peace talks, as U.S.-led efforts to reach a deal to end the nearly four-year war intensify.
Kremlin statement amid prisoner exchange and infrastructure rumours
The Kremlin made its statement as Russia and Ukraine carried out their latest exchange of war dead. It came hours after the Kremlin declined to comment on rumours that Moscow and Kyiv have agreed to stop striking each other’s energy infrastructure.
Abu Dhabi talks and U.S. role
Washington-mediated peace talks in Abu Dhabi last weekend injected momentum into efforts to clinch a peace deal, though profound differences remain between Russian and Ukrainian negotiating stances. Fighting continues, while Kyiv faces power outages following recent missile strikes.
An unnamed U.S. official told Axios on Saturday that Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin were “very close” to setting up a meeting after the U.S.-mediated talks. A new round of Abu Dhabi talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations is scheduled for Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that “very good things” were happening in the process.
Key sticking points in negotiations
Major disagreements remain, including territorial issues, the potential presence of international peacekeepers or monitors in post-war Ukraine, and the fate of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the dispute over who gets what territory was the central issue and “very difficult” to resolve.
Invitation to Moscow and preparation for a leaders’ meeting
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, cited by Interfax, said on Thursday that Moscow had not received a response to its invitation for Zelenskiy to come to Moscow.
Zelenskiy rejected a similar invitation last year, saying he could not go to the capital of a nation that was firing missiles at his country every day, and suggested Putin come to Kyiv instead.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday that any meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy would need to be well prepared and results-oriented. He said Zelenskiy’s safety would be guaranteed if he came to Moscow.
What do you think are the main obstacles to a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy?
