Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Moscow, if Trump is willing to make the trip.
“It is not shelved. This is an active invitation. Putin is ready and would be glad to meet President Trump. The rest depends on Trump’s decision,” Peskov told Russia’s state TASS news agency.
When Putin and Trump met in Anchorage, Alaska, in August, Trump said he hoped their next meeting would take place soon.
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“We had some good meetings over the years, right? Good, productive meetings over the years, and we hope to have that in the future,” Trump said at a press conference after the Anchorage summit.
“President Putin wants to see that as much as I do. So again, Mr. President, I’d like to thank you very much, and we’ll speak to you very soon, and probably see you again very soon,” Trump said to Putin.
“Next time in Moscow,” Putin suggested, speaking in English.
“Oh, that’s an interesting one. I’ll get a little heat on that one, but I can see it possibly happening,” Trump replied.
In early September, Putin offered to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Moscow.
“Donald asked me if I could possibly arrange such a meeting. I replied that yes, it’s possible. Ultimately, if Zelensky is ready, let him come to Moscow. Then the meeting will take place,” Putin said.
Zelensky sarcastically dismissed the offer.
“Our American partners told us that Putin invited me to Moscow, and I believe that if you want to avoid a meeting, you should invite me to Moscow,” he said.
Putin did not seem to be in a conciliatory mood when he gave a fiery video address on Tuesday, vowing to continue his invasion of Ukraine until victory is achieved.
“Our fighters and commanders go on the attack, and the entire country, all of Russia, is waging this righteous battle and working hard. We are fighting, and we are prevailing,” Putin said.
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The Russian military on Tuesday claimed to have captured two more Ukrainian settlements near Sloviansk, a city Russia must capture if it wants to push further westward into Ukraine. The Ukrainian military did not immediately confirm or deny Russia’s capture of the settlements.
Trump said last week that his assessment of the war has changed, and he now believes Zelensky is in a position to “fight and win all of Ukraine back.”
On Sunday, U.S. envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg told Fox News that Trump has authorized long-range Ukrainian strikes into Russia. Vice President JD Vance said the administration could supply Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, a long-range weapon which Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, was reluctant to give the Ukrainians.
Peskov said the Kremlin doubted Ukraine could target and launch Tomahawk missiles without direct American assistance.
“Who can launch these missiles, even if they end up on the territory of the Kyiv regime? Can they be launched only by Ukrainians, or must it still be done by American personnel? Who provides the targeting? A very deep analysis is needed here,” Peskov said.
“There is no panacea that can change the situation on the fronts. There are no magic weapons, whether Tomahawk or others, that can alter the dynamics,” he added.
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