Zelenskyy Cites Direct Meeting with Putin as Critical Element for G20 Summit Decisions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated he would travel to Miami should Russian President Vladimir Putin attend the Group of 20 (G20) leaders’ summit scheduled for December.

When asked by DW correspondent Misha Komadovsky on Friday, Zelenskyy reacted enthusiastically.

“Yes, of course. We have to come. We have to meet, to speak and make decisions,” he said.

Zelenskyy added that whatever he intended to communicate to Putin mattered less than outcomes.

“It’s not about words. What I will tell him or what he wants to tell me, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. … Results matter. That’s it.”

Zelenskyy and Putin have not met in person since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbor in February 2022.

The Kremlin has yet to confirm whether Putin would attend the Miami gathering.

The Russian leader has not personally taken part in a G20 summit since 2019.

Last month, Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was instead invited by the United States to join a meeting of G20 nations in North Carolina, an action that unsettled European officials.

Zelenskyy pushes for more Patriot missiles ahead of winter

Zelenskyy’s interview with DW arrives as summer draws to a close and Ukraine prepares for the cold months ahead.

The Ukrainian president has admitted his country has struggled to counter the increasing deployment of Russian, jet‑propelled drones.

“The US has the political will to supply them, but production volumes are insufficient. This means supply rates remain uncertain,” he explained.

“Will American supporters be prepared to deliver our Patriots? I’m unsure. We’ll see.”

Patriot missiles remain the most effective defensive weapon against Russian ballistic missile attacks.

What Zelenskyy needs from US and European allies

“Russia currently produces roughly 140 ballistic missiles per month. Under NATO guidelines, destroying that volume requires a 1‑to‑2 ratio—280 missiles—but such levels are beyond reach. Between us, securing even 100 missiles per month is an enormous challenge. This is what I need, especially during these harsh winter months.”

Germany announced this week that it will contribute Patriot missiles from its national stockpile, though no specific quantity was disclosed.

Zelenskyy urged Kyiv’s European partners to provide maximum support.

“They must do so. With great respect for their priorities, they have a responsibility to assist Ukrainians in saving lives.”

Zelenskyy also confirmed arrangements with multiple European firms to develop a Ukrainian‑led anti‑missile system known as “Freya,” aiming to launch its initial testing phase by the end of December, before time runs short.

Ukraine faces Patriot missile shortage

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Ukraine in ‘good position for negotiations’

Zelenskyy described the visit of U.S. envoys Steve Whitkoff and Jared Kushner to Kyiv earlier this week as a positive signal, noting that they came from both Washington and the capital.

He clarified that his government remains well positioned for conflict resolution, given Russia’s losses exceeding 30,000 soldiers each month.

“that suggests Moscow is paying a heavy price for modest battlefield gains.”

“Consequently, we believe we now hold a favorable negotiating stance—and our nation is stronger than at any point last year.”

Grain and energy top priorities

The persistent issue of wheat exports through the Black Sea continues to dominate foreign policy discussions throughout the summer. Moscow and Kyiv have alternately blocked each other’s shipping vessels and stuttered around cargo movements, resulting in a 76 % decline in Ukraine’s grain shipments year‑on‑year as of August.

Zelenskyy reported that he discussed an energy‑and‑grain ceasefire with those same envoys, proposing it as a potential pathway toward a broader armistice.

“What could lead us to any meaningful negotiation? Energy and grain. This serves as our first step.”

Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez

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