By Atoyebi Nike
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called for a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek an end to the ongoing war, following talks between Donald Trump’s special envoy and the Kremlin leader in Moscow.
The proposal came a day after former U.S. President Trump described discussions between his envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Putin as “highly productive.” Despite the diplomatic overture, U.S. officials maintained their commitment to enforcing sanctions on Russia’s trading partners.
Zelensky confirmed he spoke by phone with Trump, who reportedly said he could meet Putin “very soon.” According to Zelensky, European leaders were also present on the call.
“We in Ukraine have repeatedly said that finding real solutions can be truly effective at the level of leaders,” Zelensky posted on social media. “It is necessary to determine the timing for such a format and the range of issues to be addressed.”
Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian leader indicated that he had a series of planned calls with key European officials, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and representatives from France and Italy. He also noted upcoming conversations at the level of national security advisors.
“The main thing is for Russia, which started this war, to take real steps to end its aggression,” Zelensky added.
The push for high-level diplomacy comes amid renewed international efforts to bring an end to the war, which has now dragged on for more than two years.
