Zelenskyy says he's ready for new direct negotiations with Russia
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (president.gov.ua)
Ukraine is discussing the next round of direct negotiations with the Russian Federation together with its partners, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
According to him, Ukraine and its partners discussed the details and ideas stemming from yesterday's conversation with US President Donald Trump. In his view, it is important that America remains involved in the peace process.
He emphasized that it is the United States that Russia truly fears — and that the US has the power to influence Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We are talking with our partners about the next meetings with the Russians — direct negotiations, for which Ukraine is fully prepared, and in any format that can deliver results. I'm grateful to everyone who is helping us," Zelenskyy said.
Trump-Putin call
Yesterday, US President Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Full details of the Trump-Putin call are available in the RBC-Ukraine report.
Later, Trump revealed that he had two separate conversations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — one before and one after speaking with Putin. More on this can be found in the RBC-Ukraine article.
Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul
On Friday, May 16, in Istanbul, Türkiye, the first direct negotiations in a long time took place between Russia and Ukraine.
According to media reports, during the dialogue, the Russian delegation put forward demands related to:
- Ukraine's neutral status,
- rejection of reparations,
- rights for Russian-speaking populations,
- recognition of the occupation of Ukrainian territories,
- withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces from several regions for an immediate ceasefire.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv is currently discussing the possibility of new negotiations with Russia together with its international partners. Three countries are being considered as potential locations for the talks.
