BEIJING, China — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, reiterated his willingness to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow, but stressed that any talks must be “well-prepared” and capable of producing results, rather than “meetings for the sake of meetings.”
Putin made the remarks while speaking to reporters at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, at the end of a four-day visit to China — his longest foreign trip since 2012 — that included the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, bilateral discussions with Chinese officials, and a military parade at Tiananmen Square.
“It’s a path to nowhere, to just meet, let’s put it carefully, the de-facto head of the [Ukrainian] administration,” Putin said.
“It’s possible, I’ve never refused to, if such a meeting is well-prepared and would lead to some potential positive results.”
The Russian leader added that U.S. President Donald Trump had asked him to consider holding such a meeting during their summit in Alaska last month.
“If Zelenskyy is ready, he can come to Moscow, and such a meeting will take place,” Putin said.
At the same time, Putin questioned the legitimacy of the Ukrainian president, arguing that Zelenskyy’s term had “long run out” and that “no legal mechanism to extend it exists in Ukraine.”
In an interview published Wednesday, September 3, 2025, by Indonesia’s Kompas newspaper, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow remained committed to resolving the conflict through peaceful means.
He cited recent steps taken by both sides to resume direct contacts.
Lavrov pointed to three rounds of talks held in Istanbul earlier this year, which he said led to “certain progress,” including prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of soldiers’ remains.
While Russia has presented itself as open to negotiations, Ukrainian officials have repeatedly insisted that any meaningful talks require full respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
