Kathrine Frich
The goal is to accelerate peace talks.
The goal is to accelerate peace talks.
Zelensky Pushes for Peace Talks With Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that negotiations are underway to arrange a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He described it as a potential turning point in efforts to end the war, saying:
“We need to end this war, which probably starts with a meeting of leaders.”
Russia Begins Talks on Leader-Level Summit
According to Zelensky, Russian negotiators have now begun discussing the possibility of a leader-to-leader meeting with Ukraine.
This is a change from earlier Kremlin positions, suggesting some diplomatic progress may be underway behind the scenes.
Zelensky Proposes Historic Three-Way Meeting
Zelensky proposed a trilateral summit involving not just himself and Putin, but also U.S. President Donald Trump.
The goal is to accelerate peace talks and bring a major international player into the room as a potential mediator.
No Summit Without Agreement First
Moscow responded with conditions.
Kremlin officials stated that such a high-level meeting could only happen after “concrete agreements” are reached between Russia and Ukraine, suggesting they are not yet ready to engage directly at the leadership level.
Zelensky Urges U.S. to Increase Pressure on Moscow
Alongside his summit proposal, Zelensky called on the U.S. to ramp up sanctions on Russia.
He emphasized that continued economic and diplomatic pressure from Washington is essential to push Moscow toward genuine peace efforts.
50,000 Russian Troops Mass Near Sumy, Ukraine Warns
Zelensky also sounded the alarm about a growing Russian military presence.
He said that 50,000 troops have been moved near the Ukrainian region of Sumy, accusing Moscow of attempting to establish a “buffer zone” along the border.
Peace Hopes Rise But Big Obstacles Remain
While the idea of a Zelensky–Putin–Trump summit hints at diplomatic momentum, analysts caution that a breakthrough is far from guaranteed.
Deep mistrust, ongoing combat, and rigid preconditions could still derail efforts before they begin.
