Vladimir Putin has signaled his openness to meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and has extended an invitation for talks in Moscow. Putin, however, expressed uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of such a meeting. He maintained that Russia’s core objective in the Ukraine conflict centers on defending the ‘rights of people’ rather than pursuing territorial gains. Additionally, Putin reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership, characterizing it as a risk to Russian security interests. He emphasized that any peace negotiations should occur in Moscow. Putin believes every country has the right to determine its security arrangements, including Ukraine, but stressed that Russia’s security must also be considered. Putin suggested that a peaceful resolution is achievable if diplomacy is prioritized. He assigned blame to Western countries for the war, specifically due to their provision of military and economic aid to Ukraine. The situation occurs as the war approaches its third year, with both sides actively engaged in diplomatic maneuvers to secure international support. The Ukrainian side is pushing for NATO membership and Western security guarantees, which Russia views as crossing a red line.
