Zelensky says ready to meet Putin anywhere but Moscow, Russia proposes Istanbul

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin anywhere except Moscow, while Russia responded by naming Istanbul as its preferred venue for potential talks, Ukrainian and Russian media reported on Wednesday.

Zelensky made the statement during his visit to the United States.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian media on Wednesday that Putin is open to a meeting with Zelensky but cautioned that without thorough preparation, it would be essentially a "PR stunt doomed to failure." Peskov also noted that Kyiv is not interested in Moscow's proposal to set up working groups to facilitate negotiations.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also said in a media interview on Wednesday that Kazakhstan is ready, if needed, to serve as a venue for negotiations and meetings at various levels between the two countries and to provide "friendly services" for this purpose.

Kazakhstan supports the start of direct negotiations at the highest level between Russia and Ukraine, but accepts that preliminary work is needed to achieve mutual understanding, Tokayev added.

A powerful winter storm swept through Toronto and surrounding areas on Thursday, causing school closures and travel delays as heavy snowfall reduced visibility and affected transportation services.

Meteorological authorities warned that heavy snowfall would greatly reduce visibility, while local transportation officials reported that several roads had been completely closed and major surface transit routes were operating at reduced speeds due to the storm.

Toronto Pearson International Airport officials announced Thursday that air traffic control measures had been implemented due to severe weather, affecting several inbound and outbound flights. Meanwhile, several local school boards in Toronto fully suspended classes, while others enacted partial closures in response to the storm.