Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that he would be willing to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy should he visit Moscow.

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Putin said US President Donald Trump asked him to meet with Zelenskyy during their meeting last month in Alaska and that he conveyed to the American leader his readiness to do so.

"I have never refused this, provided the meeting is well-prepared and can lead to some positive potential outcomes," he said. "Donald asked me if I could possibly arrange such a meeting. I replied that yes, it's possible. Ultimately, if Zelensky is ready, let him come to Moscow—then the meeting will take place."

Putin said he believes it is possible to agree on a solution acceptable to all parties to end the conflict in Ukraine.

"Back in 2022, we proposed that the Ukrainian authorities respect the choice of the people living in the southeast of Ukraine, withdraw their troops from there, and end this conflict immediately. And I must say that, overall, this did not provoke complete rejection," he noted.

However, he added that after Russia withdrew its forces from the vicinity of Kyiv at the "urgent request of our Western European colleagues," the situation changed immediately.

"We were told, almost verbatim, 'Now we will fight until we either twist your head off, or you twist ours,'" he said.

Despite this, the Russian president said that if common sense prevails, an acceptable agreement to end the conflict is possible, and he is proceeding on that basis.

"Moreover, we see the mood of the current US administration under the leadership of President Trump. We see not just their appeals but a sincere desire to find this solution. I think there is a certain light at the end of the tunnel," he noted.

Putin suggested waiting to see how the situation develops, adding that if there is no diplomatic progress, Russia will "have to solve all the tasks by armed means."

When asked about preparations for a possible meeting with Trump in Moscow, Putin said they are not yet underway, there are no set deadlines, and the invitation is "on the table."

In response to Trump's "conspiracy statement" alleging that Russia, China, and North Korea are plotting against the US, Putin remarked: "Everyone knows Trump is not devoid of a sense of humor."

According to him, over all four days of his visit to China, during negotiations of various formats and in informal settings, no one ever expressed any negative judgments regarding the current American administration.

"Moreover, all of my interlocutors, without exception—I want to emphasize, all of them—supported our meeting in Anchorage. And everyone expressed hope that President Trump's position, as well as the position of Russia and the other negotiation participants, will lead to an end to the armed conflict," he said.

The US-Russian presidential meeting in Alaska in August marked the first in more than four years. It lasted about three hours, after which both leaders issued statements to the press, expressing "good results" and emphasizing the need to continue efforts.