Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared he is “ready” to meet face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the ongoing war.

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Speaking at the Yalta European Strategy Conference in Kyiv, Zelensky stressed that the first step toward any true peace must be a ceasefire. While open to direct talks, he emphasized that such negotiations should not be filtered solely through the United States or European leaders, though their support is welcomed.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Zelensky and Putin have not met in person. Zelensky made clear that he is willing to address Russia’s historical and territorial claims in conversation, but not at the expense of Ukraine’s sovereignty. For him, establishing an initial ceasefire remains the non-negotiable starting point.

President Donald Trump recently revealed that he initiated discussions with Putin about arranging a meeting between the two leaders. That outreach followed a summit with Putin in Alaska and subsequent talks with Zelensky and European officials at the White House. Trump later remarked that a ceasefire should not be a prerequisite for the leaders to sit down together, a contrast with Zelensky’s position.

The urgency of finding a resolution was highlighted by recent escalations: Russian drones entering Polish airspace, intercepted by NATO jets, and Ukrainian drones striking an oil refinery in Russia’s Leningrad region. The war continues to grind on, with Russia maintaining its occupation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea. Yet, Zelensky’s willingness to step forward for dialogue signals a potential—however fragile—for movement toward peace.

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Picture by Ben Dance / FCDO.