Zelenskyy Suggests Countries for Putin Meeting

(MENAFN) Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed that any possible direct dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin could be hosted in neutral European nations, naming Türkiye, Austria, and Switzerland as viable options.

During a discussion with reporters on Wednesday, as reported by a news agency, Zelenskyy highlighted the importance of selecting a neutral location, stating: “We believe it is fair, and the Europeans emphasized this, that the meeting should be held in neutral Europe. Because there is a war in Ukraine and on the European continent. I said that we agree. Switzerland, Austria – we agree.”

His remarks underscore Ukraine’s support for holding the meeting outside of active conflict zones.

He further acknowledged Türkiye as a candidate for hosting the negotiations, noting that it is a NATO member and "part of Europe."

This suggestion broadens the scope of acceptable neutral sites while maintaining a European and international context.

Zelenskyy also stressed that initiating such a meeting “without any special conditions is also proactive actions by the Ukrainian side,” indicating Kyiv’s willingness to engage constructively.

However, he ruled out Moscow as a host city and mentioned that considering Budapest as a location is “not easy today,” due to Hungary’s current stance regarding the war.

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