Kremlin Says Zelensky Ignored Invitation to Visit Moscow

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not reacted in any way to a renewed invitation to visit Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told TASS.

"There was none,” Peskov said when asked whether the Ukrainian leader had responded to the proposal to come to Moscow.

According to him, the Kremlin considers discussions about a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky in any location other than Moscow to be inappropriate.

Earlier, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov stated that if Zelensky was ready to meet with the Russian president, he may come to Moscow.

Statements about a possible visit by Volodymyr Zelensky to Moscow have no real basis and are part of an information campaign, military expert and political analyst Petr Kolchin told Pravda.Ru.

Previously, Die Welt journalist Steffen Schwarzkopf, reporting from Kyiv, suggested that Zelensky could agree to travel to Moscow in order to continue negotiations, arguing that such a move could bring peace closer.

Kolchin, however, believes the likelihood of such a visit is extremely low, as it would be perceived by the Ukrainian leadership as an admission of defeat. He noted that Kyiv continues to deny developments on the battlefield and the country's economic difficulties, seeking to maintain the illusion of control and confidence.

"I believe Zelensky's arrival in Moscow is unlikely, because for the Ukrainian leadership it would mean acknowledging its own defeat. As we can see, Kyiv refuses to come to terms with reality, refuses to recognize the absolute collapse at the front and the disintegration of the economy, continuing to present itself as strong and powerful until the very end. But these illusions increasingly contradict reality and undermine the country's ability to reach a diplomatic settlement,” Kolchin said.

He added that European actors will continue to speculate on the topic of conflict resolution through their media channels, despite the lack of concrete steps toward negotiations.

According to Kolchin, discussions about a possible visit by Zelensky and other European peace initiatives are elements of an information campaign rather than evidence of genuine readiness for dialogue. He emphasized that neither the European Union nor Kyiv shows real signs of willingness to negotiate.

"The real motives of the EU differ significantly from those being declared. European leadership seeks to prolong the conflict on its own terms and tries to insert itself into a settlement process where it has no real role. As a result, despite loud statements about striving for peace, Europe's actions only delay its achievement and undermine the prospects for a political settlement,” Kolchin concluded.