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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said Kyiv has proposed a new round of peace talks with Moscow next week, seeking to revive negotiations that stalled in early June.
Two earlier rounds of negotiations held in Istanbul failed to yield progress toward a cease-fire, though both sides agreed to large-scale prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of soldiers’ remains.
“Security Council Secretary Umerov also reported that he had proposed the next meeting with the Russian side for next week,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. “The momentum of the negotiations must be stepped up.”
Zelenskyy reiterated his openness to direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying a high-level meeting is essential for securing “true and lasting peace.”
“A meeting at the leadership level is needed to truly ensure peace – lasting peace,” he said.
Meanwhile, Russian officials said Thursday they are prepared to send a delegation to Istanbul for a third round of peace negotiations with Ukraine, while awaiting completion of ongoing prisoner exchange processes and new proposals from Kyiv.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow's negotiating team stands ready to travel to Istanbul, expressing hope that Ukraine will adhere to existing agreements and continue the negotiation process.
"The Russian delegation is ready to go to Istanbul for the third round of negotiations," Zakharova said during her weekly news briefing in Moscow.
"We hope that Kyiv will act in accordance with the agreements provided and continue the negotiation process," she added.
At last month’s talks, Russia presented a set of hardline demands, including further Ukrainian territorial concessions and a complete rejection of Western military support. Kyiv rejected the conditions as unacceptable and questioned the value of continuing talks without meaningful compromise from Moscow.
Earlier this month, the Kremlin said it remained open to further negotiations after U.S. President Donald Trump gave Russia 50 days to reach a peace deal or face renewed sanctions.
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Trump also pledged additional NATO-backed military support for Kyiv amid intensifying Russian aerial assaults.
Meanwhile on Saturday, Russian airstrikes killed three more civilians in Ukraine, as attacks on urban centers have continued despite diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
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