Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, is welcome to visit Moscow for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a senior aide to Putin, who promised to provide security guarantees.

Putin has consistently stated his stance on a potential meeting, according to Yuri Ushakov, a significant foreign policy advisor to the Kremlin. He said Moscow is still willing to host the meeting if Zelenskyy is truly ready for in-person negotiations.

In the event that Zelenskyy chooses to travel to Russia, Ushakov continued, guarantees will be made to ensure his safety. Additionally, he disclosed that Putin and US President Donald Trump have discussed the possibility of a Putin-Zelenskyy meeting on multiple occasions in recent phone calls. Trump allegedly recommended that Moscow think about holding such a meeting during those talks.

The remarks coincide with fresh diplomatic maneuvering regarding potential peace negotiations. Zelenskyy is prepared to meet Putin face-to-face to settle territorial disputes and future control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Putin has previously ruled out traveling to another country to meet Zelenskyy, insisting instead that any talks must take place in Moscow. Ukrainian officials have pushed back against that proposal, with Sybiha previously describing the idea of meeting in Moscow as unacceptable.

Zelenskyy himself has also expressed skepticism, suggesting that the invitation may be a tactic to delay meaningful negotiations. He has said that being invited to Moscow under current circumstances appears designed to prevent a real meeting from happening rather than facilitate one.

Despite the exchange of statements, no date or concrete framework for a Putin–Zelenskyy meeting has been announced.