Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly suggested hosting a peace summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Moscow, according to sources familiar with a recent phone call between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The proposal came amid high-level talks in Washington involving Trump, Zelensky, and several European leaders – including those from Germany, France, Finland, Italy, and the United Kingdom – who continue to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion.
One source told AFP that “Putin mentioned Moscow” during the call on August 18, but Zelensky responded with a firm “no”.
A diplomatic source close to the discussions said European leaders advised Trump that Putin’s suggestion “did not seem like a good idea”.
Following the summit at the White House, Trump stated that a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky could be the next step toward ending the war, now in its fourth year.
“At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky,” Trump said.
Zelensky has repeatedly expressed his willingness to engage in direct talks with Putin to resolve the conflict, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that Putin was open to the “idea” of direct negotiations.
However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov emphasized that any such summit would require meticulous preparation, stating it must be arranged “very thoroughly”.
In a separate development, Switzerland announced it would grant Putin immunity if he traveled there for peace talks, despite the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against him.
Last week, Trump met with Putin in Alaska, marking a significant shift from the West’s longstanding policy of isolating the Russian leader.
Despite the meeting, Trump left without securing any concrete commitments toward peace.
