Ukraine Proposes Peace Talks to Russia for Next Week... "Summit-Level Meeting Needed"

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine has proposed to Russia that peace talks be resumed next week.

According to major foreign media outlets, including AFP, on the 19th (local time), President Zelenskyy stated in his evening address that Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), had proposed talks to the Russian side for next week. He emphasized the need to "build momentum for negotiations."

President Zelenskyy said, "A summit-level meeting is necessary to ensure sustainable peace," and called for a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has previously insisted on either a bilateral summit with Russia or a trilateral meeting that would include U.S. President Donald Trump.

Zelenskyy Volodymyr, President of Ukraine.

This proposal from Ukraine comes five days after President Trump warned that he would impose a 100% 'secondary tariff' on Russia's trading partners if a ceasefire agreement was not reached within 50 days.

A Russian source commented on the proposal, telling RIA Novosti, "We have been preparing for additional negotiations for a long time," and expressed hope that "a specific date will be decided."

Russia and Ukraine sent delegations to Istanbul, T?rkiye, for negotiations on May 16 and June 2. However, while they agreed on the exchange of prisoners and bodies, they failed to reach a consensus on ending the war.