Key facts
- Zelensky responded to Putin's challenge to meet in Moscow by saying he would come "on a missile."
- The exchange took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Zelensky's remark was not a refusal to visit Moscow.
- Zelensky and Putin last met in person in Paris in December 2019.
- Zelensky proposed a meeting with Putin in Istanbul on May 16, 2025, with Trump present.
- Trump said he was working to facilitate a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders after meeting Putin in Alaska in August 2025.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin's challenge to meet in Moscow by stating he would travel there "on a missile." The exchange occurred on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, 2026.
Russian pro-government journalists repeatedly asked Zelensky when he planned to travel to Moscow. Zelensky's reply came as Putin continues to avoid an in-person meeting with the Ukrainian president while challenging him to come to the Russian capital. Zelensky has previously called for Putin to meet him in a neutral location.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on September 24 that the Russian side did not interpret Zelensky's remark as ruling out a visit to Moscow. "Zelensky hasn't ruled out a visit to Moscow; I haven't heard anything to that effect," Peskov said. "He's making a lot of statements on the sidelines of the General Assembly in New York."
Zelensky and Putin last met in person in Paris in December 2019 during the Normandy Format talks. They have not held direct talks since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Ukrainian side has repeatedly attempted to organize a meeting with the Russian president. Zelensky had invited Putin to Istanbul for talks on May 16, 2025, proposing a trilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to advance peace efforts, but Putin declined. After meeting Putin in Alaska in August 2025, Trump stated he was working to facilitate a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, later suggesting Putin avoids meeting Zelensky because "he doesn't like him."
The two sides have continued to discuss potential formats for direct talks, including a possible trilateral meeting involving the United States. On September 24, Zelensky indicated that the G20 summit in Miami could provide an opportunity for such a meeting.