KYIV, Ukraine (BN24) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that Ukraine has proposed a new round of peace talks with Russia for next week, in a renewed push to revive stalled negotiations aimed at ending the war that has dragged on for more than two years.
The offer comes after earlier rounds of talks in Istanbul in June yielded no breakthroughs on a ceasefire, though they resulted in prisoner swaps and the repatriation of fallen soldiers.
“Security Council Secretary [Rustem] Umerov also reported that he had proposed the next meeting with the Russian side for next week,” Zelenskyy announced in his nightly address. “The momentum of the negotiations must be stepped up.”
Zelenskyy, who has repeatedly signaled his willingness to engage in direct diplomacy, again expressed openness to a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “A meeting at the leadership level is needed to truly ensure peace – lasting peace,” he said.
Umerov, Ukraine’s former defense minister, was appointed last week to head the country’s National Security and Defense Council and is now spearheading Kyiv’s negotiation efforts. His appointment comes as Ukrainian forces continue to face mounting pressure on the eastern front, particularly in the Donetsk region where Russia is intensifying its offensive.
While the Kremlin has said it is open to continued talks, it has shown little sign of moderating its demands. In last month’s talks, Moscow reiterated sweeping conditions that included calls for Kyiv to cede additional territory and abandon all forms of Western military assistance—terms Ukraine has repeatedly dismissed as nonstarters.
The renewed offer from Kyiv follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent ultimatum to Moscow: reach a peace deal with Ukraine within 50 days or face harsh new sanctions. At the same time, Trump pledged to deliver additional military aid to Ukraine, supported by NATO allies, to help the country withstand Russia’s increasingly destructive airstrikes.
Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities continued over the weekend, killing at least three people on Saturday, according to emergency officials.
Zelenskyy’s fresh push for diplomacy comes amid growing international pressure to find a resolution, though both sides remain deeply entrenched in their positions. Whether Moscow will accept the invitation for another round of dialogue remains unclear.
