Ushakov, a presidential aide, made the remark in response to a question from VGTRK correspondent Pavel Zarubin. According to Ushakov, Putin "has never once refused to talk."
He added that if Zelensky wants to speak, he can come to Moscow, TV Rain reported: "since he wants to talk so badly, let him come."
A day earlier, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke of Putin's readiness to meet Zelensky and also suggested the Ukrainian president come to Moscow, where Russia "guarantees his security, which cannot be guaranteed in Kyiv."
Ushakov also set out a format for negotiations, according to TV Rain: the first rounds should be held in a trilateral format involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine. European representatives could join later.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said European representatives "on the one hand, should be at the negotiating table," but are not there now. "Why are they needed there now with such an approach? It's useless," he said, according to TASS.
Zelensky has repeatedly proposed meeting Putin together with Donald Trump in any neutral location. The Kremlin has responded that he can always come to Moscow, where his security would be guaranteed. Asked by the VGTRK correspondent when the Ukrainian president would visit Moscow, Zelensky said on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly: "On a rocket."
In late September, Bloomberg sources said Trump had urged Zelensky to go to Moscow to meet Putin. The Ukrainian president's office denied this.