Ukrainian President Open to Direct Talks with Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed his willingness to engage in direct discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a bid to bring an end to the ongoing aggression against Ukraine. State media hinted at a potential summit being arranged in Hungary, as reported on Sunday.

Zelenskiy’s comments came after a visit to the White House where he had a one-on-one meeting with President Donald Trump. During their conversation, Trump indicated that the U.S. would prioritize efforts toward establishing lasting peace in Ukraine, especially following a recent peace agreement concerning the conflict in Gaza. Despite a previous attempt at dialogue between Trump and Putin in Alaska, no substantial progress was made regarding the situation in Ukraine. Putin has consistently rejected meaningful peace talks and has chosen instead to revisit historical narratives involving Russia.

“To achieve lasting peace, both sides must be involved,” Zelenskiy reportedly told NBC News in a recent interview, stressing that any discussions aimed at resolving the war should also include the Ukrainian leadership. “How can we negotiate about our future without our presence?”

In line with this, Zelenskiy mentioned he was “ready” to explore related negotiations during discussions with both Trump and Putin in Budapest. He conveyed to Trump that his readiness to engage was part of a recent dialogue.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was asked about Zelenskiy’s statements on Monday but did not provide clarity on whether Russia’s leadership would permit Zelenskiy to participate in discussions in Budapest.

Peskov commented, “There are no details yet about the proposed talks between the two presidents.”

Following the White House meeting, Zelenskiy shared on social media that the “diplomatic prospects” for concluding the war were among the key topics discussed. He noted that he spent over two hours with Trump, covering significant issues that arose during their talks.

This engagement came after Trump declared that he had spoken to Putin, who reportedly agreed to meet in Hungary. Trump also stated he planned to have Secretary of State Marco Rubio lead a negotiating team on behalf of the U.S. Additionally, Trump expressed gratitude to First Lady Melania Trump for advocating for the return of abducted Ukrainian children, mentioning that Putin was “extremely grateful” for her heartfelt communication regarding the human rights crisis affecting these children.

“President Putin and I will meet in Budapest to see if we can conclude this disgraceful war between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump stated.

Trump went on to say that Putin acknowledged the U.S. for achieving peace in the Middle East, an accomplishment he believes could facilitate negotiations to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Hungary was seemingly chosen for its favorable relationship with Trump and its less-than-friendly stance towards Ukraine. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has engaged with both Moscow and Kyiv, has offered Hungary as a venue for negotiations. It remains unclear how he would respond to Zelenskiy’s interest in talks.

Zelenskiy and Putin last met in person back in 2019 during the “Normandy format” talks alongside France and Germany, when tensions were already mounting but before the full-scale invasion. Zelenskiy previously described that meeting as unproductive, feeling that his time was wasted.

“Negotiating is challenging,” he said, reflecting on the difficulties of dialogue with Putin. “Sometimes, we do find common ground on certain issues, but it’s a tedious process.” Zelenskiy added that every detail is meticulously analyzed, making discussions quite challenging.

Putin had characterized their 2019 meeting as “excellent and businesslike,” expressing satisfaction with its outcomes.

Two years after their last meeting and as the invasion loomed, Zelenskiy urged for more serious international mediators to help de-escalate the conflict. However, the U.S. at the time, under President Biden, did not respond proactively and instead eased sanctions against Russia right before the invasion began.