Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected an invitation from Vladimir Putin to meet in Moscow, calling the location choice a sign that Russia doesn’t actually want negotiations to happen. Speaking at a press conference in Paris after a summit of Europe’s “coalition of the willing,” Zelensky said U.S. partners had conveyed Putin’s Moscow invitation, but he added: “As I see it, if your aim is to prevent a meeting, then inviting me to Moscow is the way to go.”

The dispute over meeting locations reflects broader tensions over peace talks between the two leaders. Putin had previously stated that any meeting with Zelensky would only occur “at the final stage of negotiations.” The Ukrainian president has consistently pushed for face-to-face talks to end the conflict, while Putin has questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy to negotiate.

Multiple countries have offered to host potential peace talks between the two leaders, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Despite the disagreement over location, Zelensky acknowledged that Putin’s willingness to discuss a meeting represents progress, calling it “not bad” that Russia has begun discussing such possibilities.