Both the Kremlin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated this week a willingness to engage in direct negotiations, marking a new but tentative diplomatic approach as President Trump advocates for a peace deal.
On social media late Monday, President Zelensky stated that Ukraine was “ready for any conversation” regarding a cease-fire aimed at halting attacks on civilian infrastructure. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri S. Peskov noted on Tuesday that there were “nuances” in the Ukrainian proposal that warranted discussion with Kyiv.
While Peskov clarified that no concrete plans for direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv have been established, the public discourse suggests that both parties in the three-year conflict are keen to project an interest in negotiations, influenced by Trump’s push for a resolution.
The American diplomatic efforts are anticipated to continue in London, where Zelensky mentioned that a Ukrainian delegation would meet with U.S. and European officials. White House envoy Steve Witkoff, who has met with President Vladimir V. Putin three times since February, is expected to visit Moscow later this week, according to Russian state news agency Tass.
President Trump expressed on his Truth Social platform on Sunday that he hoped for a deal between Russia and Ukraine within the week, stating that the United States stood to “make a fortune” as a result. Last week, he warned that if either side made it difficult to reach an agreement, the U.S. might decide to “take a pass.”
The potential for direct talks has introduced a new dynamic to the ongoing diplomatic efforts. Public peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have not occurred since the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, although there have been behind-the-scenes negotiations through intermediaries.
Since the onset of the war, Russia and Ukraine have regularly exchanged prisoners, including a swap of over 500 soldiers last Saturday. Previously, Moscow and Kyiv had been quietly negotiating a moratorium on strikes against each other’s energy infrastructure, mediated by Qatar, although this fell apart following Ukraine’s cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.
The recent suggestion for bilateral discussions followed an unexpected 30-hour cease-fire declared by Putin over the Easter weekend. Both sides accused one another of violating the temporary truce but acknowledged a decrease in the intensity of fighting.
On Sunday, Zelensky proposed a monthlong cease-fire wherein both sides would “cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure.” He noted the absence of air raid alerts on Easter and the quiet in some front-line sectors as evidence of the possibility for peace.
Putin later commented that further discussions were necessary to define civilian targets, suggesting a bilateral format for such talks. Peskov reiterated that the president specifically referred to negotiations with Ukraine.
This dialogue follows Ukraine’s previous offer for a monthlong, unconditional cease-fire, which emerged from U.S.-mediated discussions. Russia, asserting that it has the momentum on the battlefield, responded by demanding concessions prior to halting its offensive actions.
Putin’s remarks regarding a potential moratorium on striking civilian targets represented an unusually direct invitation for negotiations with Ukraine, extending beyond the Kremlin’s typical claims of openness to dialogue.
However, Russia’s ongoing bombardment of Ukraine presents a contrasting narrative. Reports indicate that a series of drone and missile strikes hit several Ukrainian cities overnight and throughout Tuesday, causing fires and damage to buildings and vehicles. In Odesa, three individuals were injured when drones targeted a residential area. Strikes near Kyiv also resulted in damage to multiple homes and vehicles.
Further attacks in Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv resulted in one fatality and 22 injuries, including several children, according to local officials.