Russia invites Zelensky to Moscow for peace talks | World News

Russia has renewed its invitation for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Moscow for peace talks, the Kremlin announced Thursday, as U.S.-led efforts intensify to end nearly four years of war.

The statement comes amid deaths in the latest war between the two countries and just hours after Moscow dodged rumors that a mutual agreement had been reached to stop attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure, according to a report by NDTV.

U.S.-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi last weekend have given new momentum toward a deal, but sharp gaps remain between Russia’s and Ukraine’s positions. Intense fighting continues as Kiev deals with crippling power outages resulting from recent missile attacks.

An unnamed US official told Axios on Saturday that Zelensky and Putin were “very close” to planning a meeting after the talks, NDTV reported.

New Abu Dhabi talks will be held between Russia and Ukraine on Sunday and Europe’s World War II talks will take place. US President Donald Trump, aiming to end the biggest conflict since World War II, said on Tuesday “very good things” were on the way.

Fundamental disagreements remain over territorial divisions, potential international peacekeepers or observers in post-war Ukraine, and control of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

The report also said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Interfax on Thursday that Moscow had not yet received a response to Zelensky’s invitation to visit for talks.

Zelensky turned down a similar offer last year, refusing to go to the capital, launching daily missile attacks on Ukraine and urging Putin to come to Kiev instead.

Any Putin-Zelensky summit must be thoroughly prepared and produce concrete results, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday, adding that Zelensky’s security in Moscow would be ensured.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday called the territorial dispute the key “very difficult” sticking point.

Russia demands that Ukrainian soldiers withdraw from the 20 percent of the territory it does not control in Donetsk.

Kiev refuses to cede territory that Russia has not seized militarily, fearing it could be a launching pad for deeper attacks.

The territorial dispute is not the only major unresolved issue, Kremlin deputy Yuri Ushakov said on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov questioned the value of US security guarantees for Ukraine and doubted that they could achieve lasting peace if they were aimed at supporting Kiev’s current leadership.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, meanwhile, reiterated his hardline views on Russia’s gains on the battlefield and called for the war to be escalated through negotiations, telling Kremlin reporters: “The war must reach its conclusion. I am against negotiations.”