KYIV, Ukraine — In a bold move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy categorically dismissed Russia’s proposal for a ceasefire as merely “an ultimatum.” He insisted on direct discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin to find a way forward in a crisis that has persisted for over three years. Both parties have laid out their ceasefire conditions ahead of meaningful peace talks in Istanbul scheduled for Monday. This upcoming meeting marks their second face-to-face in just over two weeks, yet both sides maintain firm stances that render any swift agreement improbable.
Zelenskyy critiqued the recent Istanbul discussions, stating they bore a striking resemblance to the initial meeting on May 16. He characterized the negotiations as a façade intended to delay sanctions and appease the United States with sham dialogues. “The same ultimatums they voiced back then — now they just put them on paper,” Zelenskyy commented, dismissing the documentation as mere clutter designed to feign action.
The talks continuing into 2025 in Istanbul hold, as per Zelenskyy, identical sentiments and substance to unproductive negotiations from the war’s outset. He expressed skepticism about the efficacy of ongoing talks at the current level of diplomatic teams. The Ukrainian representation in Istanbul was led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, whereas the Russian delegation was spearheaded by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Putin.
Zelenskyy is pushing for a ceasefire agreement with Russia preceding a potential leaders’ summit that could involve Putin and possibly even U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to dismantle any barriers to a peaceful settlement. This is in tandem with the United States spearheading a diplomatic campaign to end the full-scale invasion initiated on February 24, 2022.
“We are proposing … a ceasefire before a leaders’ summit,” stated Zelenskyy, with a perspective for U.S. mediation. He highlighted the importance of a ceasefire in establishing mutual commitment before a high-profile meeting, noting that “if we meet and there is no mutual understanding, no willingness or vision on how to end this, then the ceasefire would end that same day.” However, continued dialogue could extend the ceasefire, facilitated by U.S. assurances.
Ukraine remains open to resuming talks next week at preferred neutral venues like Istanbul, the Vatican, or Switzerland, Zelenskyy noted. The recent peace talks in Istanbul, lasting slightly over an hour, elicited no resolution to halt the conflict, reaching consensus only on exchanging thousands of deceased and severely injured soldiers.
Additionally, Zelenskyy indicated a prospective prisoner exchange with Russia could transpire over the weekend.