Ushakov Suggested That Zelenskyy Might Hold Direct Talks with Putin
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Stere conveyed a message to Vladimir Putin during a phone call regarding upcoming negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov claims that European leaders reported Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s readiness for direct talks with the Kremlin leader. According to Ushakov, such a meeting could take place in Moscow, though there has been no official confirmation from Ukraine regarding these statements at this time.
Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Vladimir Putin, spoke about possible direct talks between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia. He said that during a phone call on October 27, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gar Støre allegedly conveyed to the Russian leader a message that Volodymyr Zelenskyy wished to hold direct talks with him.
At the same time, public statements from the Finnish and Norwegian sides refer to discussions about Russia’s war against Ukraine and future diplomatic contacts. They did not specifically confirm Ushakov’s claim that Zelenskyy had allegedly expressed a willingness to meet with Putin.
Ushakov stated that direct contact between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia makes sense. According to him, it is precisely at the level of heads of state that key issues regarding ending the war could be discussed. “Of course, in principle, contact at the level of the leaders of Ukraine and Russia makes the most sense,” Putin’s aide said. He also stated that Zelenskyy could travel to Moscow for such a meeting. According to Ushakov, the Russian side is allegedly ready to provide the Ukrainian president with the necessary conditions, including security. However, this is currently only a statement by a Kremlin representative, not an agreed-upon arrangement for a meeting.
What is known about Stubb and Søre’s conversation with Putin
On October 27, Alexander Stubb and Jonas Gar Støre held a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin. The call was initiated by the Finnish president and the Norwegian prime minister. The conversation took place in Helsinki and was a follow-up to a meeting held in Oslo on October 20. According to official statements from Finland and Norway, the politicians discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine, diplomatic efforts to end it, and future negotiations. Prior to the conversation, they consulted with Ukraine. The purpose of the call was to convey a message directly to Putin regarding further negotiations.
Stubb and Stere also emphasized that their countries would continue to support Ukraine. They stated the need to end the war and resume the negotiation process. At the same time, both leaders separately emphasized that they were speaking on behalf of their own countries, not on behalf of all of Europe. After the conversation, the Finnish president described it as direct and substantive. He stressed that the outcome of the war would directly affect the security of Finland and all of Europe. The Norwegian Prime Minister, for his part, drew attention to the human casualties and destruction, which will have consequences for future generations.
Is Zelenskyy Really Ready to Meet with Putin?
Ushakov’s statement about Zelenskyy’s alleged readiness for direct negotiations should be distinguished from officially confirmed facts. Statements from the Finnish and Norwegian sides confirm that they spoke with Putin about future negotiations and conveyed relevant messages to him. However, these statements do not directly confirm that Zelenskyy has agreed to meet with the Russian president in Moscow.
Similarly, there is currently no confirmed agreement on the location, date, or conditions of a possible meeting between the two leaders. The proposal to come to Moscow came specifically from Ushakov. The Ukrainian side must separately determine its position on such a format, should the issue of a meeting actually be considered.
Contacts between European leaders and Putin are taking place against the backdrop of diplomatic efforts aimed at resuming negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States. One of the outstanding questions remains at what level and in what format the parties will be able to discuss a possible end to the war.
What is known about the next round of negotiations
The phone call between Stubb and Stere and Putin was related to preparations for the upcoming talks in Abu Dhabi. According to media reports, a meeting between representatives of Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. is expected to take place there in early November. Its goal is to continue diplomatic contacts regarding ending the war. Earlier, the Kremlin stated its willingness, in principle, to resume trilateral talks with Ukraine and the United States. Among the issues that may be discussed are the terms for ending the war and future security arrangements. However, a willingness to resume negotiations does not yet mean that the parties have agreed on specific terms for a peace deal.
A possible summit between Zelenskyy and Putin will also depend on whether they can agree on its format and agenda. For now, statements about direct talks remain part of diplomatic signaling rather than a confirmed plan for a meeting. Thus, Stubb and Stere did indeed hold talks with Putin, discussing an end to the war and future negotiations. However, the claim that Zelenskyy has already expressed his willingness to travel to Moscow for direct talks currently comes from a Kremlin representative and requires confirmation from the Ukrainian side. This was reported by Russian state media, including “Vesti.”
As a reminder, Putin has no intention of giving up his occupation of Donbas, according to Reuters.
Donald Tusk assessed the results of the talks between the leaders of Norway and Finland and Putin.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the U.S. and Russia will not be able to agree on ending the war without Ukraine’s participation. He emphasized that European countries must also be at the negotiating table, as the security of the entire continent will depend on the future agreement. Merz made these remarks on October 27 during a speech in Singapore.
