Putin refuses to discuss Crimea with Zelensky

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to discuss the topic of bilateral relations at a possible meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky. However, the Kremlin refuses to touch upon the topic of the Crimea, Putin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, TASS reports.

"The President said that himself that it was possible to talk about bilateral relations. The topic of the Crimea does not exist," Peskov said adding that "there was nothing to discuss there."

Earlier in April, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky turned to Vladimir Putin in Russian and offered to meet somewhere in a hotspot of Donbass. Despite the common past, Russia and Ukraine see the future differently, Zelensky added. 

In response, Putin said that he was ready to welcome Zelensky in Moscow to discuss bilateral relations at any convenient time. Kiev should negotiate on the settlement of the conflict with representatives of the self-proclaimed People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, the Russian president stressed out. Zelensky has yet to respond to Putin's offer to meet in Moscow.