Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that Russian negotiators have started discussing the possibility of a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to address the ongoing three-year conflict. The discussions took place during talks in Istanbul this week, marking a potential step toward peace negotiations.
Zelenskyy, speaking to journalists including Agence France-Presse on Friday, emphasized the need for a leaders’ meeting to end the war. “We need an end to the war, which probably begins with a meeting of leaders,” he said, noting that the Russian side’s willingness to discuss the idea represents “progress toward some kind of meeting format.”
Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, proposed holding further talks before August’s end, aligning with a 50-day deadline set by US President Donald Trump for a peace deal, with the threat of sweeping sanctions if unmet. Ukraine has also expressed hope that Trump, who has advocated for a resolution, could participate in such a meeting.
However, Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky tempered expectations, stating that any meeting must be “properly prepared” to be meaningful, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. Putin has previously indicated he would meet Zelenskyy only in the “final phase” of negotiations.
Despite the diplomatic developments, Zelenskyy noted that Russian forces continue attempts to advance on multiple fronts but have achieved no significant breakthroughs.
The Istanbul talks reflect cautious progress, though deep differences between Kyiv and Moscow’s positions have so far limited results in resolving the conflict.