The Russian delegation will be headed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.Zelensky has long been actively seeking a face-to-face meeting with Putin / REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not take part in this year’s session of the UN General Assembly .

This was announced by his spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by Russian Interfax .

“The president does not plan to take part in the General Assembly this year,” Peskov said.

The Russian delegation will be headed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

On September 8, Ukrainian media reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky intends to attend the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, which will take place on September 14.

In turn, former Ukrainian ambassador to the United States Valery Chaly admitted that Zelensky could meet with the Kremlin leader at this session: be some kind of intersection that, I would say, is not very appropriate in that format really, but considerations can be. “

Zelensky has long been actively seeking a face-to-face meeting with Putin. In April, against the backdrop of Russia’s military withdrawal, the Ukrainian leader invited the Kremlin leader to meet in Donbass.

In Russia, the proposal of the head of Ukraine was received coolly. Putin’s spokesman noted that such a meeting is possible only in neutral territory, but it will not be possible to discuss the issue of Donbass and Crimea with Putin.

On September 1, Zelensky even managed to meet with his American counterpart Joe Biden .

Ukraine insists on changing the format of talks with Russia on Crimea and Donbas. The “Minsk agreements”, convinced the Minister for Reintegration of the Occupied Territories Alexei Reznikov, are “dead”.

(C)UNIAN 2021