Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated his willingness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person at the Group of 20 (G20) summit scheduled for Miami in December. Zelensky stated that a direct meeting is necessary for discussions and decision-making.
"We have to meet, to speak and make decisions," Zelensky told Deutsche Welle in a recent interview. He believes Russia is currently paying a substantial cost for limited territorial gains, citing estimates of over 30,000 Russian soldiers lost monthly. "So that’s why we think that we have now good position for negotiations," Zelensky added.
The two leaders have not held a face-to-face meeting since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Such a meeting would represent a significant opportunity for direct dialogue, especially as broader negotiation efforts have faltered this year.
However, the Kremlin has responded coolly to the prospect. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that a decision on whether Putin will attend the Miami summit has not yet been made. Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yury Ushakov indicated that Putin's attendance "has not even been discussed" in Moscow. Russia has consistently maintained that if Zelensky wishes to meet Putin, he should travel to Moscow.
Zelensky has previously rejected the idea of traveling to Moscow for such a meeting. The G20 summit is slated to take place in Miami on December 14 and 15. Putin has not personally attended a G20 summit since 2019.
Meanwhile, Russia has continued its missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, with local authorities reporting at least 11 fatalities and 96 injuries over the preceding day.