At a briefing in Berlin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy categorically rejected the possibility of telephone negotiations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, calling them "futile." According to the head of state, such a conversation would turn into "another history lecture" rather than concrete steps toward ending the war. The statement came in response to a direct question about Kyiv's readiness to invite Putin for peace talks, to which Zelenskyy answered negatively, RBC-Ukraine reports citing the President's Office.
Why Kyiv will not invite Putin to Kyiv or Moscow
Zelenskyy argued his position by pointing out that in 2022 Russia came to Ukrainian territory "without an invitation," and a second invitation makes no practical sense since, in his assessment, Moscow will not come. "Inviting them so that they don't come is destructive," the president emphasized. He gave a similar assessment to the Russian side's initiative to invite the Ukrainian delegation to Moscow, calling it "a spit in the face of the whole world that wants the war to end." According to him, no international party will support such trips.
The phone format: "A game we understand"
Answering a question about the possibility of limiting talks to a phone call, Zelenskyy stated that Russia uses this format as an excuse not to meet in person anymore. "It will be a very official, dry telephone conversation during which there will be another history lecture from Putin, rather than real steps to end the war," he noted. The president stressed that to end the conflict, it is necessary to "meet, negotiate, and prove why this side is wrong, since it is the aggressor," with a ceasefire being the first step.
Context: Dispute surrounding Stubb and Støre's call with Putin
Zelenskyy's statement came against the backdrop of a recent telephone conversation held on October 27 with Putin by Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. One of the main topics was the possibility of peace talks. According to the Financial Times, citing three sources, Putin devoted most of the conversation to "lectures on medieval Slavic history." However, Støre categorically rejected this interpretation, stating that Putin asked for the opportunity to present his version of events from 2014 to the present, and demanded that journalists correct the publication. The FT, in turn, stated that it would not make changes to the article.
Prospects for talks in Abu Dhabi and security guarantees
In addition to criticizing the telephone format, Zelenskyy outlined the practical agenda for future peace talks, which he said should take place in Abu Dhabi. He named security guarantees as a key item Ukraine intends to discuss. The president also reported that Kyiv had previously appealed to Moscow with a proposal to extend and expand the ceasefire regime after the humanitarian mission in Oleshky, but in response received a massive strike across the entire territory of Ukraine.
