Putin says he is ready to meet Zelenskyy if he comes to Moscow

Meanwhile speaking to members of the Russian media in Beijing Vladimir Putin welcomed talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy PROVIDED they take place in Moscow.

Lee Eun-jin has the latest.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that he was ready to hold talks with Volodymyr Zelenskiy if the Ukrainian president came to Moscow.

This was revealed during a press conference for Russian media as he wrapped up his trip to China.

"By the way, U.S. President Donald Trump asked me to hold such a meeting. I said this is possible. At the end of the day, if Zelenskyy is ready, let him come to Moscow, and such a meeting will take place."

But he also added that it remained to be seen whether such a meeting with the Ukrainian president was worthwhile, calling it "a road to nowhere."

Saying that he has never refused such a meeting, Putin reiterated that it would have to be well-prepared in advance, and that it would have to lead to tangible results.

Zelenskyy has been pressing to meet Putin to discuss the terms of a possible deal to end their war, while U.S. President Donald Trump has been trying to broker a peace settlement, calling for the two leaders to meet.

However, as Putin attended China's Victory Day Parade in Beijing, Russia continued with overnight airstrikes across Ukraine, launching over 500 drones and 24 missiles.

Beginning a visit to European allies, President Zelensky called for more pressure on Moscow, calling the latest attacks "clearly demonstrative Russian strikes," claiming that the aggression is continuing due to "the lack of sufficient pressure."

Meanwhile, President Trump is expected to speak on the phone with President Zelensky on Thursday.

This comes after his recent Alaska summit with President Putin on August 15th, which failed to achieve a breakthrough.

Trump said that he had "no message to President Putin."

Also on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to host a mostly virtual meeting of some 30 countries to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.

They are also expected to denounce Moscow's unwillingness to engage in negotiations.

Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.