Putin tries to lure Zelensky to Moscow and proposes old acquaintance as European mediator

©picture alliance/dpa/Kremlin | -

Russian President Vladimir Putin is making sky-high demands for a possible meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Putin apparently wants to talk with his Ukrainian counterpart, but only after a peace agreement has been concluded. He said this on Saturday at a press conference following the military parade commemorating the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany.

Putin keeps trying to lure Zelensky to Moscow, but the Ukrainian leader does not trust that. After all, Zelensky has always refused to travel to the Russian capital. "Anyone who wants to meet with me should come to Moscow," Putin said at the press conference. "We can also meet elsewhere, but only if a long-term peace agreement is reached beforehand (...) I think the issue is coming to an end," he echoed about the war in Ukraine.

The Russian president stressed again that a peaceful solution to the conflict is a matter between Ukraine and Russia. "But if someone wants to help, we are grateful."

Putin then suggested an old acquaintance as a European mediator: former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. "Of all European politicians, I would prefer to talk to Schröder," he said. However, the latter has been widely criticized in the past for his close ties to Russia. Putin also said to Russian state news agency TASS that he is ready to accept "any leader who has not said anything unkind about Russia" as an EU negotiator in talks with Moscow.

For now, we need to wait for an official response from Kiev, but it seems that once again, the demands from Moscow will only add fuel to the fire in Russia's war against Ukraine.

©picture alliance/dpa/Kremlin | -.