In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, Zelenskyy stated he would be willing to negotiate directly with Vladimir Putin if that is the only path to ending the war.

This comes amid news that US President Donald Trump has scheduled meetings with both Ukraine and Russia, describing the discussions as “going pretty well.” Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has claimed there is a “solid” strategy to end the war within months. Kellogg believes that a new US administration could broker a satisfactory deal for both sides.

The Kremlin also confirmed that discussions with the Trump administration regarding peace negotiations are underway.

 “If this [negotiate with Putin] is the only way we can achieve peace for Ukrainians and not lose people – of course, we will go for it,” Zelenskyy said.

In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also claimed readiness to negotiate with Ukraine, even through Zelenskyy, whom Russia considers “illegitimate” due to the expiration of his presidential term, according to Russian state-funded media TASS.

Zelenskyy emphasized that such talks would come at a significant diplomatic compromise, noting that Putin is a criminal. 

The Ukrainian leader proposed a four-party negotiation framework involving Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and Europe. Earlier, he cautioned against excluding Ukraine from any peace discussions between the United States and Russia, labeling such exclusion as “very dangerous.”

Zelenskyy sees NATO membership as the fastest route to diplomatic progress, viewing it as a critical security guarantee. 

He also added that if NATO membership negotiations are deliberately prolonged, Western partners should consider providing nuclear weapons.

“We believe that President Trump wants to achieve success in this situation, and success is a victory of common sense, and the end of the hot phase of the war. These are strong security guarantees for Ukraine, at least to ensure that Putin does not return with war again,” the president noted.

Russia’s Peskov called Zelenskyy’s words about being ready for negotiations “empty,” saying that the Ukrainian president has forbidden talks with Putin.

He refers to Ukraine’s decision by the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) in 2022 that declared the “impossibility of conducting negotiations” with Putin following the annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

Additionally, Peskov emphasized that given the current situation on the battlefield, Kyiv should be the most interested in peace talks.

Zelenskyy acknowledged Ukraine’s current territorial limitations, stating the country cannot risk massive human losses for uncertain outcomes. 

On the battlefield, Ukraine faces significant challenges due to Russia’s war of attrition strategy, which aims to exhaust Ukrainian forces and undermine both their morale and international support. 

The Ukrainian military is also grappling with difficulties in recruiting new troops to replenish its ranks, as high casualty rates have demoralized potential recruits, and the loss of seasoned officers has led to a decline in battlefield performance. Delays in military aid from Western allies have further hindered Ukraine’s defense efforts.

Related:

• Why is Ukraine losing ground? Mobilization crisis and command failures exposed
• Reuters: Russia eyes Saudi Arabia, UAE for Trump-Putin meeting while peace talks remain uncertain
• Russia demanded to cut Ukrainian army to 50,000 and install pro-Moscow leader in 2022 peace talks, Zelenskyy says
• Zelenskyy: Peace talks with Putin possible if Ukraine has strong security guarantees