Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has formally stated he is prepared to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in person to negotiate a ceasefire and work towards ending the conflict. He emphasised that a direct encounter between the two leaders is the only path to a meaningful halt in hostilities.
Zelensky’s announcement follows previous calls for a 30‑day ceasefire that would hold until a summit could be arranged between him and Putin. Speaking from Kyiv, he said a pause in fighting would allow both sides—and the international community—to assess whether Russia is serious about diplomacy, and vowed that such a high‑level talks would pave the way for discussing broader peace terms.
Earlier this year, Zelensky accepted former U. S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion to meet Putin in Istanbul, underlining that only face‑to‑face dialogue could yield progress. Russian media acknowledged Putin’s proposal for direct talks, although accompanied by conditions that Ukraine would need to drop its ambitions to join NATO and recognise current borders—proposals Kyiv has firmly rejected.
Zelensky underlined that any meeting must involve concrete commitments—not platitudes. “If Putin is prepared for a ceasefire, we have a foundation to negotiate an end to the war,” he said, adding that monitoring mechanisms would need to be established immediately after an agreement on paper.
The Ukrainian president also criticised the absence of Putin at earlier scheduled talks in Istanbul—in May—calling it a sign of insincerity and stating that his delegation would not proceed without clarity on participation at the leader level. He called Russian delegates “decorative” and said Ukraine refused to engage in “show discussions” without a full ceasefire agreement in place.
International reactions have been mixed. U. S. officials, including Trump’s envoys, have signalled openness to high‑level diplomacy, though U. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that real progress depends on direct meetings between presidents. Meanwhile, Turkey, which hosted prior attempts, reaffirmed its role as a mediator; Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has advocated for a top‑tier summit involving Ukraine, Russia, the U. S. and Turkey.
European leaders have largely backed Zelensky’s ceasefire proposal and his calls for substantive dialogue with Putin. However, Moscow’s insistence on preconditions—including neutrality measures and territorial concessions—continues to be a major sticking point.
Zelensky has been clear that Ukraine would not compromise on its core demands: restoration of internationally recognised borders, territorial integrity and anchoring in Euro‑Atlantic institutions. He tied diplomatic engagement to pressure through sanctions, warning that failure to arrange a leader‑level meeting would demonstrate Russia’s unwillingness to negotiate genuinely.
Ukraine’s public support for face‑to‑face talks has increased. Analysts and commentators say Zelensky’s position reflects a change: from seeking multilateral formats to insisting on direct resolution. Kyiv’s messaging stresses that only a bilateral summit led by its president can break the deadlock.
Russia’s response remains unwavering. The Kremlin has reiterated that any conference must address the causes of the conflict before discussing a ceasefire, effectively reversing the sequence proposed by Ukraine. President Putin has not confirmed his attendance in any practical setting.
Military analysts note that the proposed ceasefire would freeze a conflict that has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, including over 45,000 Ukrainian soldiers and significant civilian casualties. But despite battlefield gains by Russia in eastern and southern Ukraine, Zelensky has emphasised that diplomatic avenues must remain open.
Zelensky’s firm stance marks a strategic shift: a willingness to meet Putin, tempered by non-negotiables around sovereignty and security guarantees. With global actors—from Washington to Brussels and Ankara—closely watching, the next steps in arranging a genuine summit may determine whether the window for diplomacy gains traction or closes again in a spiral of entrenchment.
