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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Türkiye, the Vatican, and Switzerland are among the most realistic venues for potential future peace negotiations with Russia.
He also expressed readiness to participate in a trilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking to reporters, Zelenskyy said over 50,000 Russian troops, including elite units, have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, near Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region. He warned that this may signal preparations for a significant offensive.
“Their most powerful and largest forces are currently positioned on the Kursk front,” he said. “They are preparing for possible operations into Sumy.”
He also claimed that Russia aims to establish a buffer zone about 10 kilometers deep inside Ukrainian territory.
Touching on diplomacy, Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s willingness to continue peace talks in any format and said he is open to a three-way meeting with Trump and Putin. “If Putin is uncomfortable with a bilateral meeting, or if others prefer a trilateral one, that’s no problem—I’m ready for any format,” he said.
Zelenskyy also urged Washington to impose tougher sanctions on Russia, particularly targeting its banking and energy sectors.
“Trump confirmed that if Russia does not stop, sanctions would be applied,” he noted, adding, “We discussed energy and the banking system—I would welcome sanctions in these areas.”
He stressed the importance of U.S. involvement in peace efforts, though he acknowledged Washington had warned it could disengage if no progress is made.
Alongside Türkiye, Zelenskyy mentioned Malta and several African nations as potential hosts for future negotiations, while dismissing Belarus as a venue, calling the idea “unserious and impossible.”
On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also suggested Istanbul could host future peace talks, commending Türkiye’s mediation efforts.
His remarks followed the first direct meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in three years, held in Istanbul on May 16, which led to a major prisoner exchange involving 1,000 people from each side.
“Istanbul could be the venue for the next round of Russia-Ukraine negotiations,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in a separate statement on Wednesday, further echoing Lavrov’s remarks and signaling continued Russian openness to Türkiye's role as mediator.
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