Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he offered to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin anywhere to negotiate concrete steps to end the war [1].
The proposal represents an attempt to move beyond indirect diplomacy and establish a direct dialogue capable of producing real decisions. By offering multiple venues for a summit, Zelensky is attempting to isolate the Russian leadership's refusal to engage in peace talks.
Speaking during an address to the Intergovernmental Conference of the European Union, Zelensky said that Ukraine proposed a meeting in any location where real decisions for the completion of the war could be made [1]. He said that discussions were held with the U.S. and France regarding the possibility of a meeting with Russia on the sidelines of the G7, with the participation of all democratic states [1].
Zelensky said that Putin does not want such a meeting [1].
The Ukrainian president also mentioned recent coordination with U.S. leadership to create a more compelling invitation. He said he discussed with President Trump the possibility of organizing a meeting in the U.S. in a format that would make it significantly harder for Putin to refuse [1].
Despite these efforts to find a neutral or high-pressure environment for diplomacy, the Ukrainian leader indicated that the Russian side has remained unwilling to commit to a face-to-face summit. The outreach spans several global powers, including the U.S. and France, to ensure the proposed framework had broad international backing before being presented to the Kremlin [1].
“We proposed to Putin to meet in any place where real decisions for the end of the war could be made.”
This diplomatic push signals Ukraine's strategy to place the burden of refusal on Russia in the eyes of the international community. By involving the U.S. and G7 nations in the planning of a potential summit, Zelensky is attempting to frame Putin not just as a combatant, but as the primary obstacle to a negotiated peace, potentially strengthening Ukraine's leverage for further international support.
