The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia has once again invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Moscow for peace talks, even as US-led diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine intensify.
The statement came amid a fresh exchange of war dead between Russia and Ukraine, and just hours after Moscow declined to comment on reports suggesting the two sides may have agreed to halt strikes on each other’s energy infrastructure.
US-Mediated Talks Inject Fresh Momentum
Peace negotiations brokered by Washington in Abu Dhabi last weekend have brought renewed momentum to diplomatic efforts, though deep differences remain between the two sides. Heavy fighting continues along the front lines, while Ukraine struggles with widespread power outages following recent Russian missile strikes.
An unnamed US official told Axios on Saturday that Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin were “very close” to agreeing on a meeting following the latest round of US-mediated talks.
A new round of negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump, who has been pressing for an agreement to end Europe’s biggest conflict since World War Two, said earlier this week that “very good things” were happening in the peace process.
Key Disputes Still Unresolved
Despite renewed engagement, major sticking points remain unresolved. These include:
- Territorial control in any final settlement
- The possible deployment of international peacekeepers or monitors
- The future of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Interfax news agency, said Russia has not yet received a response from Zelensky regarding the invitation to Moscow.
Zelensky had rejected a similar offer last year, saying he could not travel to the capital of a country firing missiles at Ukraine daily, and instead suggested that Putin come to Kyiv.
Moscow Says Meeting Must Be ‘Results-Oriented’
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday that any potential meeting between Putin and Zelensky would need to be carefully prepared and focused on concrete outcomes. He added that Zelensky’s safety would be guaranteed if he visited Moscow.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the question of who controls which territories remains the single most difficult issue to resolve.
Russia has demanded that Ukrainian forces withdraw from roughly 20% of the Donetsk region still not under Russian control. Kyiv has rejected the idea, arguing it would amount to handing over territory Russia has not captured militarily, potentially enabling future offensives.
Ushakov, however, said on Thursday that he did not consider territorial disputes to be the only major issue still on the table.
Diverging Signals From Moscow
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed scepticism about any security guarantees the United States might offer Ukraine, questioning whether they could ensure lasting peace if designed to keep Ukraine’s current political leadership in power.
Meanwhile, Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of Chechnya, struck a sharply different tone, calling for continued fighting rather than negotiations.
“I believe the war must be taken to its conclusion,” Kadyrov told reporters at the Kremlin. “I am against negotiations.”
His comments reflect the view among some Russian hardliners that Moscow is gaining the upper hand on the battlefield, even as diplomatic efforts accelerate.