Zelensky invites Putin to meet in Donbass

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Tuesday invited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to meet "at any location" in the conflict-hit eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass.

In a video address, released on Tuesday, Zelensky said that advisers to Normandy Quartet leaders (Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France), as well as security subgroup of the Contact Group on Ukrainian reconciliation discussed restoring full ceasefire in Donbass on Monday and Tuesday.

"A proposal was made to meet at the line of contact to see and understand the situation in the best possible way. What am I supposed to understand? I’m visiting it every month. Mr. Putin, I’m ready to go even further and invite you to meet at any location of Ukraine’s conflict-hit Donbass," TASS cited him as saying.

Addressing Russia, the Ukrainian leader said Moscow and Kiev have different views about their future, but this should be treated as an opportunity rather than as a problem.

"Despite a common past, Ukrainian Russia have different views about the future," he said. "But this is not necessarily a problem, this is an opportunity."

Zelensky declared his readiness to meet with Putin back in December 2020, to discuss, among other things, an exchange of detained persons.