Ukraine Reveals Moscow Invite for Possible Putin Meeting

Ukrainian negotiators received an unexpected Russian invitation in February to continue peace talks in Moscow, where a potential meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin could have taken place, Presidential Office head Kyrylo Budanov revealed on Friday, Sept. 4.According to The New York Times, the proposal was made as a round of negotiations in Geneva concluded and had not previously been reported.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The Russian delegation suggested that the Ukrainian negotiators fly to Moscow to continue discussions, with the possibility that Putin could join the process.The offer posed significant security risks for the Ukrainian delegation, particularly Budanov, who led the delegation in Geneva. Russia has placed him on a wanted list over terrorism charges brought during his tenure as Ukraine’s military intelligence chief.Despite those risks, Budanov said he had been prepared to consider the proposal if it could help end Russia’s war on terms acceptable to Ukraine.“I’m ready for any step that will end the war,” Budanov said.The proposed visit ultimately did not take place, and the negotiations stalled shortly afterward. No meeting between the Ukrainian delegation and Putin occurred.Negotiations may resume in late SeptemberBudanov said US-mediated talks were expected to restart by the end of September, after Russia’s parliamentary election and several weeks before the US midterm elections.The renewed process is expected to begin with a visit to Kyiv by US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Names Ivan Fedorov Head of Recovery Agency The Cabinet dismissed three officials and approved Fedorov’s departure as governor of the frontline Zaporizhzhia Region. Both representatives have traveled to Moscow several times but have not visited Kyiv despite receiving multiple official invitations from Ukraine.Although high-level negotiations stalled following the February talks, Budanov said lower-level contacts between Ukraine and Russia had continued behind the scenes.He has regularly communicated with Admiral Igor Kostyukov, the head of Russia’s military intelligence service, known as the GRU. Their contacts began in 2022 during Turkish-mediated negotiations over Black Sea grain exports and later expanded to include prisoner exchanges.Two issues remain unresolvedBy January, Ukrainian, Russian and US negotiators had reduced a proposed 20-point peace framework to two major unresolved issues, according to Budanov.The first concerns the future management of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The second centers on territory in the eastern Donbas region that remains under Ukrainian control.The disputed territory reportedly includes four heavily damaged midsize cities and surrounding farmland that Russian forces have failed to capture militarily.During negotiations in Abu Dhabi, several possible arrangements for the area were discussed, including administration by private military contractors, governance through Trump’s Board of Peace, or the creation of joint Ukrainian-Russian civilian administrations.Budanov said he advised President Volodymyr Zelensky not to accept any arrangement that would allow Russia to claim sovereignty over the Ukrainian-controlled territory by raising its flag there.While negotiations could resume this month, Budanov said he did not expect conditions for a ceasefire to emerge before spring. Ukrainian officials anticipate that Russia will launch another sustained winter campaign against the country’s energy and civilian infrastructure.“You cannot fight your whole life,” Budanov said. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.