Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed that he will not travel abroad for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but is open to hosting a meeting in Moscow. Speaking at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum on September 5, Putin emphasized that the invitation to Kyiv’s leader comes from the Ukrainian side. “The Ukrainian side wants this meeting and is proposing it. I said, ‘I’m ready. Please come.’ We will definitely provide the conditions for work and security, 100% guarantee,” he said, according to Kremlin-aligned media.

Putin criticized the idea of meeting in a third country, calling it an “excessive request.” He added, “If they say to us, ‘We want to meet with you, but you have to go to such and such a place for this meeting,’ well, it seems to me that these are simply excessive demands on us. I repeat once again: if someone really wants to meet with us, we are ready. The best place for this is the capital of the Russian Federation – the hero city of Moscow.”

Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov clarified that Putin had personally invited Zelensky to Moscow “for negotiations, not for capitulation,” highlighting that it was Russia’s initiative, while noting that the Ukrainian side reportedly rejected the offer. Ukrainian officials responded critically. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the Moscow proposal as “unacceptable,” and Zelensky suggested the invitation might be a delaying tactic. “Our American partners have informed us that Putin has invited me to Moscow. I believe that if you want to prevent the meeting from taking place, you should invite me to Moscow,” the Ukrainian leader said.

On the issue of foreign troops in Ukraine, Putin stated that he sees no need for international forces on Ukrainian soil once a peace agreement is in place. Speaking at the same forum, he said, “As for possible military contingents in Ukraine – well, this is one of the root causes of drawing Ukraine into NATO. Therefore, if any troops appear there, especially now during active hostilities, we proceed from the assumption that they will be legitimate targets for strikes.”

He emphasized that should a peace settlement be reached, there would be no reason for foreign military presence in Ukraine, while insisting that Russia would honor any agreed-upon security guarantees. “If agreements are reached that lead to peace, to a long-term peace, then I simply see no reason for their presence on Ukrainian territory. That’s all. Because if these agreements are reached, let no one doubt that Russia will implement them in full,” he said. Putin added that Russia would respect security arrangements “which must be worked out both for Russia and for Ukraine” and reiterated, “Russia will of course fulfil the agreements.”