Ukraine Proposes New Peace Talks with Russia Scheduled for Next Week
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday that Kyiv has proposed to Moscow the possibility of resuming peace talks next week. In his evening address to the nation, Zelenskyy expressed his desire to expedite negotiations aimed at achieving a ceasefire. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that “everything should be done to achieve a ceasefire” and urged the Russian side to stop evading decisions.
The two countries have engaged in two previous rounds of discussions in Istanbul over the past five months, resulting in a prisoner exchange but no significant progress toward resolving the nearly three-and-a-half-year conflict that escalated with Russia’s invasion in 2022. Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation in the Istanbul talks, has reached out to the Russian side with the proposal for another meeting, though details were not disclosed. Umerov, a former defense minister, was appointed recently as the head of the National Security and Defence Council and is expected to bring renewed energy to the negotiations.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to implement a protracted offensive in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. While Moscow has expressed readiness for further talks, it has maintained its steadfast approach concerning its overarching war aims, which have been labeled as maximalist by Kyiv and its allies. In a related context, President Donald Trump has intensified his rhetoric against Russia amid increasing airstrikes on Ukrainian cities.
He has warned of stricter sanctions against Russia if a peace agreement is not established within 50 days. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Trump’s harsh remarks but noted that the former president has also emphasized the pursuit of peace. Peskov reiterated that President Vladimir Putin remains committed to achieving a peaceful resolution, emphasizing that this is a complicated process requiring significant efforts and that Russia’s primary goal is the realization of its objectives.