• Zelenskyy rejects Putin's invitation to Moscow, suggesting he should come to Kyiv instead.
• The Ukrainian leader accuses Putin of using the invitation as a tactic to delay talks.
• Zelenskyy expresses concern over U.S. involvement, especially following Trump's Alaska summit with Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation to negotiate in Moscow, asserting instead that Putin "can come to Kyiv." "I can't go to Moscow when my country's under missiles, under attack, each day," Zelenskyy stated in an interview with ABC News, expressing his refusal to converse in the capital of a nation that is currently attacking Ukraine, which he referred to as "the capital of this terrorist," according to ABC News.

Zelenskyy further elaborated that Putin's offer was intended to "postpone the meeting," accusing the Russian leader of "playing games with the United States." He emphasized his readiness for dialogue in "any kind of format," while underscoring the unacceptability of meeting on Russian soil during such a challenging time for his nation, as reported in India Times and Newsweek.

During a recent interview, Zelenskyy expressed disappointment regarding former U.S. President Donald Trump's Alaska summit with Putin, indicating that the meeting provided the Russian leader with what he desired. "I think that President Trump gave Putin what he wanted," he remarked, stating that it was unfortunate Ukraine was not involved in such crucial discussions. He noted that Putin is more interested in dialogue with the U.S. president than with him, as mentioned in ABC News and AA.

In light of ongoing Russian attacks, Zelenskyy highlighted the urgent need for support from U.S. and European allies to pressure Russia for a substantive peace process. He pointed out that Zelenskyy is ready for talks to conclude hostilities, dismissing certain Russian proposals as intentionally unacceptable and asserting that the Kremlin continues to evade genuine negotiations. The sentiment of needing external pressure was echoed by Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, who proposed that other countries, including Austria and Switzerland, host peace talks instead, as elaborated in The Hill.

Despite the bleak outlook for immediate talks, Zelenskyy remains determined that the pathway to peace involves higher stakes and sanctions against Russia. "We need to stop buying any kind of energy from Russia," he argued, indicating that economic measures are crucial to curb the ongoing conflict. He reiterated that any discussions not held in Kyiv or other neutral territories are off the table, a stance maintained throughout various interviews, including recent discussions with ABC News, India Times, and The Hill.