Zelensky Proposes New Negotiations with Russia .. and the Kremlin Responds

Amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a Russian source told TASS agency that the date for the next round of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv has not been determined yet, indicating that the scheduling will be done later by mutual agreement.

This Russian statement came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his country has proposed to Russia to hold a new round of negotiations next week, following the recent stalled talks that took place in early June.

Zelensky said in his evening address that the Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, has already proposed holding a meeting with the Russian side next week, emphasizing the need to boost the momentum of the negotiations.

Zelensky also reiterated his readiness to have a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, considering a leadership-level meeting necessary to achieve real and lasting peace.

Previous talks between the two sides were held in Istanbul during May and June, but did not result in any substantial progress towards a ceasefire.

Those rounds of talks led to limited agreements including exchanges of prisoners and the bodies of deceased soldiers.

During the talks, Russia presented a series of demands, including additional concessions from Ukraine regarding territories, as well as rejecting all forms of Western military support for Kyiv, which Ukraine strongly opposed, considering those conditions unacceptable, and questioning the usefulness of continuing negotiations as long as Moscow is not willing to make concessions.

Earlier in July, the Kremlin expressed readiness to continue the talks, following a warning from US President Donald Trump who gave Moscow a 50-day deadline to reach a peace agreement, threatening to impose more sanctions if efforts fail.

Trump also pledged to provide additional military aid to Ukraine with support from NATO partners, at a time when Ukrainian cities are facing escalating aerial attacks from the Russian side.