Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Ukraine has extended an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin for a meeting aimed at discussing concrete steps toward ending the ongoing war. This announcement was made during his address to an Intergovernmental Conference of the European Union.
Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine has also engaged in discussions with the United States and France regarding the possibility of a meeting with Russia on the sidelines of the G7 summit, which would include democratic nations. He remarked, “We have offered Putin to meet anywhere decisions could be made to end the war. He does not want this.”
“We discussed with the U.S. and France the possibility of a meeting with Russia at the G7 involving all democratic states. Putin does not want this,” Zelensky stated.
Furthermore, Zelensky mentioned a recent conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump about organizing such a meeting in the United States. He suggested that this format would make it significantly more challenging for Putin to decline an invitation from the U.S. President.
“We will see what comes of it. If Russia declines this opportunity, additional pressure will be necessary,” he added.
On June 15, Trump communicated with French President Emmanuel Macron, indicating that after discussions with both Zelensky and Putin, he sees potential for revitalizing efforts to conclude the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Trilateral Meeting with the U.S.
On January 23-24, trilateral talks took place in Abu Dhabi involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia. The discussions focused on concluding the war and the subsequent peace process.
National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov noted that the aim of the negotiations is to “advance towards a dignified and lasting peace.” A White House representative described the meeting as “productive.”
President Zelensky has previously underscored that key issues remain concerning the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and the Ukrainian delegation is expecting specific responses from Russia regarding the cessation of hostilities.
A senior White House official confirmed to the media that the trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia was indeed productive.
The Ukrainian delegation included several high-ranking officials, such as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, Head of the President’s Office Kyrylo Budanov, and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Andriy Hnatov, among others.
From the U.S. side, participants included Special Envoy Steve Vitkoff, Jared Kushner, and Generals Daniel Driscoll and Alex Grinkevich. The Russian delegation comprised representatives from military intelligence and the army, as noted by Umerov.
This meeting in Abu Dhabi followed a visit by U.S. representatives Vitkoff, Kushner, and Gruenbaum to Moscow on January 22, where they met with President Putin and his team for three and a half hours.
On May 22, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that “the U.S. does not want an endless cycle of unproductive negotiations regarding Ukraine” and expressed readiness to re-engage if “an opportunity for constructive and productive talks arises.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Ukraine's offer for a meeting with Russia to discuss peace efforts, highlighting ongoing diplomatic engagements with the U.S. and France. The recent trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi were described as productive, focusing on ending the conflict and establishing a lasting peace.