Kyiv Offers New Peace Talks as Zelensky Urges Accelerated Cease-Fire
Ukraine has formally proposed a new round of peace negotiations with Russia, aiming to expedite a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the initiative, emphasizing the urgency of achieving a cessation of hostilities.
The proposal comes after two previous rounds of talks held in Istanbul over the past five months. While these discussions yielded an agreement on prisoner exchanges, they did not result in a meaningful breakthrough toward ending the nearly three-and-a-half-year conflict, which began with Russia’s 2022 invasion.
President Zelensky stated in his nightly address, “Everything shoudl be done to achieve a cease-fire.” He further urged the russian side to “stop hiding from decisions.”
Rustem Umerov, who led Ukraine’s delegation in the prior Istanbul talks, conveyed the offer for next week’s meeting. Umerov, recently appointed as the head of the National Security and Defense Council, has been tasked with injecting new momentum into the negotiation process. His prior role as a former defense minister provides him with significant experience in security and diplomatic matters.
The declaration follows a period of intensified Russian military activity. Russia has been pursuing a sustained offensive along the eastern front, especially in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Despite stating its readiness for further talks, Russia has maintained its war aims, which Kyiv and its international partners characterize as maximalist.
The diplomatic efforts are occurring against a backdrop of international pressure. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently adopted a firmer stance against russia, particularly in response to escalating air strikes on Ukrainian cities. Earlier this month, Trump indicated that more stringent sanctions would be imposed on Russia if a peace deal was not reached within a 50-day timeframe.
