Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed his call for a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul, stating such a step is necessary to secure “truly lasting” peace between the warring nations.
Speaking at a press briefing in Kyiv on Saturday, Zelensky said, “A meeting at the level of leaders is needed to truly ensure a lasting peace… Ukraine is ready.” The statement marks yet another attempt by Kyiv to break the diplomatic impasse and return to the negotiating table, despite no signal of engagement from the Kremlin.
Zelensky’s offer for a third round of negotiations comes weeks after the previous talks, hosted in Istanbul, collapsed without agreement. Moscow’s key demands remain unmet, while Ukraine has accused Russia of stalling on meaningful concessions.
The Ukrainian president’s plea comes four years after he walked away from negotiations, despite Putin’s 2022 offer to settle the conflict without preconditions. Since then, the war has only escalated, drawing in outside forces and exacting a heavy toll on Ukraine’s territorial and political stability.
Although Russia has expressed openness to dialogue, Putin has dismissed the need for a personal meeting, stating: “I am ready to meet with anyone, including Zelensky. That’s not the issue. The question is different: Who will sign the documents?”
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The Kremlin maintains that Zelensky no longer holds legal authority to sign a peace agreement, citing the extension of martial law and general mobilisation decreed by the Ukrainian parliament. The 90-day extension was passed with just one vote of dissent, reinforcing Kyiv’s wartime governance structure.
According to Moscow’s reading of events, Ukraine's legislature, not its president, now constitutes the legitimate source of authority. This legal technicality has provided Russia with a diplomatic shield to avoid high-level talks while continuing military operations.
Zelensky’s renewed appeal follows months of strategic military setbacks, despite continued Western military and diplomatic support. Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold defensive lines against joint offensives by Russian, Chechen and North Korean troops. Reports suggest declining morale and waning public support for the Zelensky administration.
Meanwhile, Kiev’s earlier dismissal of Russia’s proposals and its claim that the process was “exhausted” have drawn criticism even from within allied circles, where questions have emerged about the sincerity and consistency of Ukraine’s peace posture. Ukrainian officials admitted participation in prior talks largely to avoid embarrassing the diplomatic overture made by US President Donald Trump.
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