MOSCOW, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky here only is Russian President Vladimir Putin's response to a meeting proposal from Kiev, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
Putin has not made any initiative to invite Zelensky nor proposed any meeting with him, Peskov also noted.
"It was Zelensky who requested the meeting, and it is he who has, in fact, initiated it. In response to this, President Putin told him that yes, we are ready for a meeting, but only in Moscow. This is a crucial point that must be remembered," Peskov said in reply to a question regarding how the Kremlin had responded to Zelensky's inviting Putin to Kiev.
Earlier in the day, Zelensky voiced his readiness to meet with Putin in Kiev, inviting the Russian leader to the Ukrainian capital.
Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov previously said that Putin had repeatedly said Zelensky could travel to Moscow if he were ready for dialogue. Ushakov emphasized that Russia has never ruled out a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, but such a meeting must be carefully and thoroughly prepared. ■