Putin invites Zelenskyy to Moscow for security talks amid continued strikes on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said he had "never refused" a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and invited him to come to Moscow for security talks, remarks issued by the Russian state news agency Tass said.

"If Zelenskyy is ready for a meeting, let him come to Moscow," Putin said, according to a translation of his comments delivered in Beijing, where he attended a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of World War II. The invitation came as Russian forces continued strikes on Ukrainian territory.

Putin made the remarks while in China for the parade, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The three leaders appeared together at the event, which drew international attention and prompted statements from foreign officials.

Zelenskyy's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the White House had no immediate response to questions about the invitation, according to a transcript of reporting on the comments. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, said the gathering of Putin, Xi and Kim represented a potential alignment against the United States, remarks that followed the Beijing parade.

The invitation echoed a pattern of periodic offers for leader-level talks since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while hostilities have continued at varying intensities. Russian officials presented the remarks as an opening for dialogue; Kremlin statements did not specify any agenda or preconditions beyond "security talks." Ukrainian authorities have previously indicated that any negotiations would hinge on core issues such as sovereignty and territorial integrity, though Kyiv's most recent public position on direct talks with Putin was not immediately available.

Ukrainian cities and infrastructure have remained targets of air and missile strikes in recent weeks, according to Ukrainian officials and independent monitors. The violence has produced civilian casualties and damage to urban areas, drawing condemnation and calls for continued support for Kyiv from Western allies.

Analysts and diplomats said invitations to meet can serve multiple diplomatic purposes, including testing willingness to engage, shaping international perceptions and trying to gain leverage at the negotiating table. Russian officials framed the Moscow offer as a genuine readiness to discuss security matters; Ukrainian officials and Western governments will assess any formal approach in light of ongoing hostilities and prior conditions set by Kyiv.

As of Wednesday evening, no date for a meeting had been proposed publicly and there were no reports of direct contact between the offices of Putin and Zelenskyy to arrange the visit. The invitation and the broader diplomatic choreography in Beijing are likely to be closely watched in Kyiv, Moscow, and allied capitals for what they signal about the next phase of the conflict and prospects for any renewed diplomacy.