Zelensky Ready To Accept Face-To-Face Talks With Putin After Trump Pressure
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is pushing Russian President Vladimir Putin to a face-to-face meeting in Istanbul this week, following President Donald Trump’s public backing of renewed peace talks—a move that has shifted the diplomatic playing field and put the onus on Ukraine to act.
Zelensky declared he would travel to Turkey on Thursday, raising the stakes in a conflict that has dragged on for over three years with no clear resolution. The announcement came after a weekend of diplomatic maneuvering by both sides as they sought to avoid major concessions while heeding President Trump’s growing demand for a negotiated end to the war, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Putin has not yet replied to Zelensky’s direct invitation, which goes beyond the Russian leader’s earlier offer to resume lower-level negotiations that had broken down in 2022. Throughout the war, Putin has consistently questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy and dismissed him with contempt.
President Trump’s endorsement of Putin’s proposal for talks signals a shift in his strategy—one that puts American interests first and prioritizes ending endless foreign entanglements. While Europe continues to apply pressure on Russia, Trump is steering the conversation toward practical diplomacy.
“Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump declared on social media Sunday. “At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!”
In response, Zelensky, who had previously insisted on a full cease-fire before any negotiations could begin, issued a new demand Monday that Russia initiate a cease-fire—while also proposing an in-person summit with Putin in Turkey. The Ukrainian leader stated that he would be ready to meet the Russian president “personally” in Istanbul on Thursday, WSJ added.
“There is no point in prolonging the killings,” Zelensky wrote on social media. In his nightly address, he repeated his intention to travel to Istanbul. “And I hope that this time, Putin won’t be looking for excuses as to why he ‘can’t’ make it,” he said.
Just one day prior, Putin had brushed aside Western calls for a cease-fire, instead demanding direct negotiations that would further his long-term strategic goals: weakening Ukraine’s independence and diminishing NATO’s influence in the region, WSJ reported.
President Trump, meanwhile, warned last week that sanctions could be imposed on whichever side refuses to accept a 30-day cease-fire—laying down a clear marker as he moves to fulfill one of his signature promises: ending the Ukraine war swiftly and on terms favorable to American security and financial interests.
While Trump’s peace push has revived momentum, the road ahead remains rocky. The two sides are still miles apart. Trump has leveled criticism at Zelensky for what he sees as an unwillingness to pursue a negotiated settlement. Russia, for its part, continues to pursue territorial control, while Ukraine remains committed to defending its sovereignty and resisting Moscow’s aggression.
Putin’s timing is deliberate. By floating the possibility of renewed talks, the Russian leader appears eager to project a cooperative image while deflecting pressure from Trump to accept harsher penalties. Trump, who campaigned on ending the war within 24 hours of taking office, has grown increasingly firm in demanding results.
In recent remarks, the president warned he could walk away from the negotiation process altogether if meaningful breakthroughs are not achieved soon.
Meanwhile, reports from the ground show Russia is not slowing down. According to DeepState, an independent Ukrainian battlefield monitoring group, Russian attacks actually increased during Putin’s so-called three-day cease-fire in early May—more than in the previous month during the same time frame.
European leaders have threatened new sanctions if Moscow refuses to accept the 30-day cease-fire endorsed by President Trump, WSJ noted.
Putin’s latest call for talks appears aimed at reviving a peace process that disintegrated in 2022. At the time, the Kremlin’s demands were framed as an attempt to resolve the “root causes” of the war—a euphemism widely interpreted as a push to force Ukraine into abandoning its sovereignty and aspirations to join Western institutions.
As it stands, President Trump is once again the driving force behind the search for peace—putting pressure on both sides, rejecting the failed policies of the past, and asserting strong, America-first leadership on the world stage.