"Putin mentioned Moscow during the August 18 call," a source familiar with the August 19 call between US President Donald Trump and the Russian president told AFP. "Zelenskyy then replied 'no'."

Another source said European leaders told Trump that "Putin's proposal didn't seem like a good idea."

Neither Russia nor Ukraine has commented on the report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in a meeting on 18/8. Photo: Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin in a meeting on 18/8. Photo: Kremlin

The news comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders met with Trump at the White House. Trump said the next step to end the conflict is a direct meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.

Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy aide, said Putin expressed support for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine during the August 18 call. He also discussed the possibility of higher-level representation in the Moscow and Kyiv delegations involved in these efforts.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later said a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents to resolve the conflict "must be very carefully prepared." He affirmed Russia's support for a serious approach to the issue.

Meanwhile, Switzerland announced it would grant immunity to Putin if he came to the country for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, despite an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant. Switzerland is a member of the ICC.

Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, AP, Reuters)