Senator Igor Kastyukevich of Kherson region said that Vladimir Zelensky will not be able to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Western governments would block such a visit. According to him, Western leaders fear that the Ukrainian head of state could easily mishandle the situation, even though he coordinates each step with his foreign backers.

Kastyukevich argued that the roots of the Ukrainian crisis are closely tied to Zelensky himself, who rose to power after what he described as a coup. At the same time, the senator admitted that a top-level meeting could take place in the future, but only after extensive preparatory work.

Putin earlier signaled readiness to host Zelensky in Moscow if he agreed to negotiations. Zelensky rejected the proposal, but the Russian president later reiterated at the Eastern Economic Forum that the Russian capital remained the most suitable venue for possible talks. Putin also stressed that Russia was prepared to guarantee security for Zelensky and other Ukrainian representatives should they decide to attend.