Kyiv ready for direct talks with Putin, Zelenskyy signals flexibility

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made clear that Kyiv is prepared to engage in direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling a willingness to bypass preconditions and focus instead on negotiation logistics.

“I do not want us to set any conditions that later someone will use as obstacles to the end of the war. Therefore, I said, ‘We are ready’” Zelenskyy stated, as he addressed a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, RBC-Ukraine reports.

Zelenskyy affirmed that Ukraine does not intend to introduce additional barriers to dialogue:

“Ukraine does not want to impose additional conditions for the start of dialogue with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and is expecting an agreement on a concrete date and place for the meeting,” he said.

The Ukrainian president further referenced his discussions with US President Donald Trump regarding a trilateral conversation:

“Then he had contact with the Russian side. He said, ‘Let’s first make a bilateral track, and this is a proposal of the Russians,’ he said, ‘and then a trilateral one.’”

Zelenskyy reiterated his readiness for negotiations:

“If President Trump says that exactly in such a format, we can further talk, we are ready to support a bilateral track, and then a trilateral one. Let’s discuss the date and the place. This is all that I have at this time.”

The prospect of a bilateral meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin emerged following US efforts to mediate peace, including a recent Alaska meeting between Trump and Putin, followed by a gathering in Washington with Zelenskyy and European leaders. While the trilateral format was initially considered, Washington reportedly later proposed a one-on-one meeting.

Multiple venue options have been floated. The Kremlin suggested Moscow—an offer rejected by Kyiv. Other possible sites include neutral locations such as Budapest, though no confirmation has been issued. Zelenskyy emphasized that any meeting should occur in neutral territory:

Zelenskyy emphasizes that the meeting is possible only on neutral territory – for example, in Austria, Switzerland, or Türkiye.

Meanwhile, Russian officials have stated that a summit will only take place once key issues are resolved—an objective that, to date, remains unmet.

By Vafa Guliyeva