Indonesian Leader 'Conveyed Message' From Zelenskiy To Putin

Indonesia's president, Joko Vidodo (left), says he was given the message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (right) during a stopover in Kyiv on June 29.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo says he delivered a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his meeting with the Kremlin leader on June 30, one day after a stopover in Kyiv.

He did not reveal the contents of the message.

"I conveyed President Zelenskiy's message to President Putin," Widodo said in Moscow as Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine entered its 19th week.

He expressed his "readiness" to facilitate "communication" between the two leaders.

Indonesia currently holds the rotating presidency of the Group of 20 wealthiest nations and will host a G20 summit in Bali in November.

"Although the external situation is still difficult, it is still important to move toward a settlement and open dialogue," Widodo said in Moscow.

He said that his country would like "the war to end soon."

After several meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations early in the Russian invasion that began on February 24, peace talks have mostly been on hold.

Zelenskiy said he has accepted an invitation to the summit but his attendance will depend "on the composition of the summit's participants" -- an apparent reference to Putin.

Indonesia has reportedly come under pressure from several Western nations not to invite Putin over the war.

Based on reporting by AFP and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service