Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday declined Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion he come to Moscow to barter a diplomatic settlement, addressing the proposal for the primary time in an interview with ABC Information Chief International Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz for “This Week.”
“He can come to Kyiv,” Zelenskyy mentioned. “I can not go to Moscow when my nation’s below missiles, below assault, every day. I can not go to the capital of this terrorist.”
Putin “understands this,” he informed Raddatz.
Zelenskyy and Raddatz toured and sat down on the website of an American-owned manufacturing plant in western Ukraine that was the latest goal of a Russian missile assault.
Zelenskyy mentioned repeatedly that Putin would not search a gathering with him as he continues to prosecute the conflict in Ukraine.
The Russian president on Wednesday mentioned “he has by no means been towards assembly with Zelenskyy.”
“If Zelenskyy is prepared, then let him come to Moscow,” Putin mentioned. “This assembly will happen.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with Martha Raddatz of ABC Information.
ABC Information
Watch extra of the Zelenskyy interview Sunday morning on “This Week.”
President Donald Trump has made a gathering between the 2 leaders a precedence in his efforts to dealer a peace deal.
“In the end, I will put the 2 of them in a room,” he informed Fox Information in August.
Russia President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Aug. 19, 2025 and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington, Aug. 18, 2025.
EPA/Shutterstock
Trump made a trilateral assembly between leaders of the U.S., Russia and Ukraine the objective of his summit in Alaska final month with Putin, and later mentioned a bilateral assembly between Putin and Zelenskyy would occur after the Ukrainian chief got here to the White Home.
“A tri would occur,” the president maintained final week in an interview with The Daily Caller . “A bi, I do not learn about,” he mentioned.
President Zelenskyy and ABC’s Martha Raddatz tour a producing plant in western Ukraine that was attacked by Russia.
ABC Information
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned this week it was “clear” {that a} bilateral between Putin and Zelenskyy wouldn’t happen.
President Zelenskyy sits down with Martha Raddatz, ABC Information’ Chief International Affairs Correspondent and co-anchor of “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”
ABC Information
Within the Friday interview with “This Week” co-anchor Raddatz, Zelenskyy mentioned Putin’s provide was meant to “postpone the assembly,” insisting that he, Zelenskyy, was “prepared for the assembly” in “any type of format.”
Putin is “enjoying video games with the United States,” Zelenskyy informed Raddatz.
Ukrainian International Minister Andrii Sybiha on X this week pointed to seven international locations — Austria, the Holy See, Switzerland, Türkiye, and three Gulf states — which he mentioned have been able to host peace talks that Zelenskyy would attend.
“If an individual would not need to meet throughout the conflict, after all, he can suggest one thing which might’t be acceptable by me or by others,” Zelenskyy informed Raddatz.
ABC Information’ Julia Cherner contributed to this report.
