Trump Proposed Moscow as Venue for Talks – Zelenskyy Declined

Zelenskyy's Reasoning: Drones Rather Than Fear

The tone of the Ukrainian president is remarkable. The report notes: "Auch nach mehr als vier Jahren russischen Angriffskriegs gegen sein Land hat der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj nicht seinen Humor verloren." His response to Trump's proposal was reportedly tongue-in-cheek and picked up an image from the everyday reality of the conflict – Ukrainian drones penetrating deep into Russian territory.

With the remark, Zelenskyy indirectly underscored the reach of the Ukrainian drone campaign. In recent months, Ukrainian drones have repeatedly hit targets deep inside Russia, including Moscow's suburbs. A visit by Zelenskyy to the Russian capital would, under these conditions, represent a significant security risk from Ukraine's perspective.

The episode throws a spotlight on the stalled efforts to find a diplomatic solution to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly announced in the past that he intends to quickly bring about a negotiated solution between Kyiv and Moscow. So far, a meeting between Zelenskyy and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin has not materialized.

Background: Stalled Search for a Negotiation Format

From Ankara, it was initially not reported whether Trump pressed the proposal or whether alternative negotiation formats were discussed. Nothing concrete was communicated either about possible mediators or the next step in the diplomatic process.

Reactions to the report were divided. Observers assessed Zelenskyy's answer as a clever move: with a wink, he had parried Trump's proposal while simultaneously bringing the military reality into focus. Critics, on the other hand, saw the incident as a further sign of how far apart Washington and Kyiv currently are on the question of direct negotiations with Moscow.

Reactions and Assessment

What is clear is that the Ukrainian leadership rules out a visit to Moscow under current conditions. Zelenskyy's brief reference to his own drones makes clear that Ukraine does not want to weaken its negotiating position through symbolic gestures toward Russia.

The NATO summit in Ankara nonetheless provided the framework for several bilateral talks. Trump used the opportunity to speak with allies about continued support for Ukraine and about possible paths to an end to the conflict. According to the US delegation, however, no concrete decisions were expected.