Zelensky Calls for Neutral Venue for Putin Meeting, Proposes Switzerland, Austria or Turkey
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Ukrainian journalists that he is ready to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but only in a neutral European country. He emphasized that the choice of location must ensure fairness and avoid the influence of states opposed to supporting Ukraine.
Zelensky listed Switzerland, Austria, and Turkey as possible venues for the highly anticipated summit, while explicitly ruling out Budapest. He explained that Hungary’s position of opposing military and political support for Ukraine makes its capital unsuitable as a host. His remarks came as diplomatic momentum gathered following U.S. President Donald Trump’s successful effort to persuade Putin to agree to talks with Zelensky in the coming weeks.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who confirmed Trump’s intervention during a European leaders’ visit to Washington, welcomed the development and stressed the importance of European participation in the negotiations. He also noted that Trump had agreed to extend an invitation to a subsequent three-way meeting to pave the way for serious negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
