Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Moscow for direct peace negotiations, with assurances that all necessary conditions, including security arrangements, would be provided.
Local media reported that a Russian presidential aide said on Tuesday that Putin assured Zelensky that his safety would be guaranteed during the visit. The invitation follows a phone call between Putin, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
Details of the Invitation
Senior Russian diplomat Yuri Ushakov said that Støre and Stubb told Putin during the call that Zelensky was interested in holding direct talks with the Russian leader. The two Nordic leaders met in Oslo on October 20.
"Our boss reiterated that if Zelensky truly wishes to hold direct negotiations, he should come to Moscow, where all necessary conditions - including those regarding his safety - will be provided for him," Russia's state-run news agency Tass said, citing Ushakov.
Background and Context
Last week, reports suggested that the Kremlin may have made a call for US President Donald Trump to order the assassination of Zelensky. Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president and one of Putin's closest allies, is alleged to have made the call to Trump, urging him to take care of the 'unfortunate little problem'.
Ukraine was consulted during preparations for the call, according to the Office of the President of Finland. Stubb and Støre initiated the conversation to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, and attempts to promote peace and stability across Europe.
Trilateral Talks and Next Steps
The purpose of the call was to convey messages from Ukraine directly to Putin ahead of forthcoming peace negotiations. Ushakov also said the conversation focused primarily on an agreement to resume trilateral talks among Russian, Ukrainian, and US representatives in Abu Dhabi.
"There were many questions on this matter and requests for clarification from our side," he said. Ushakov added that the topic of European representation in talks on Ukraine was not currently under consideration. "We are not looking at who might represent Europe at all, as that will be decided at a much later stage," he said.
The phone call ended with the leaders agreeing to speak again if necessary. Finland and Norway both share borders with Russia and have remained staunch supporters of Ukraine throughout the conflict. Stubb and Støre participated in their capacities as leaders of Finland and Norway and were not acting as representatives of Europe. The Finnish presidency said Finland and Norway have consistently worked to promote peace and security in their respective regions. "The phone conversation was, I would say, thorough and substantive," Ushakov said.
