Bloomberg reports Trump asked Zelenskyy to meet Putin in Moscow; Zelenskyy refused

What happened

Bloomberg reports that during their meeting in New York on 22 September, U.S. President Donald Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy rejected this proposal and was reportedly irritated by Trump's suggestion, according to sources familiar with the Ukrainian president's position.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Zelenskyy's refusal was underscored by a blunt reply to Russian journalists when asked about visiting Moscow; he said he would do so "on a missile" before shouting a swear word. The White House did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment on this matter.

The reported request and rejection come amid recent separate meetings between Zelenskyy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and representatives of the Trump administration in New York, where the U.S. pushed for a truce on attacks against energy infrastructure amid rising global fuel prices.

Known from the source

• Bloomberg reports Trump asked Zelenskyy on 22 September to travel to Moscow for talks with Putin.
• Zelenskyy rejected the request and was reportedly irritated by it.
• Zelenskyy responded to questions about visiting Moscow with a disparaging remark.
• The White House has not commented on Bloomberg's report.
• Zelenskyy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held separate meetings with Trump administration representatives in New York.

What remains unclear

Zelenskyy has indicated that technical peace talks involving the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia are likely to take place in the United Arab Emirates, though no date has been proposed by the U.S. He also suggested the G20 summit in Miami could host a trilateral meeting. Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that Putin will attend the Miami summit. Putin recently rejected Zelenskyy's proposal for talks during the event.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verify Bloomberg's sourcing and confirmation level about Trump's request to Zelenskyy. Confirm Zelenskyy's reaction and reported irritation with independent sources or official statements. Clarify if the White House or Ukrainian government made any formal comments on the Moscow meeting request.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Ukrainska Pravda English. Open the source.