Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is open to direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at this week’s G7 summit in France or even in the United States, as he intensifies diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Speaking on Monday in Kyiv from a historic monastery damaged in an overnight Russian strike, Zelenskyy said the proposal was designed to bring key global leaders together in one setting, including US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“We gave message that we are ready to meet with Putin during (the) G7, because Trump is there and Macron is there, so Europeans plus America. This is a good opportunity to meet all together,” he told reporters.
He added that both Europe and the United States had shown support for the idea, but accused Moscow of refusing to engage. “Russia demonstrated again that they are not ready to speak,” he said.
Zelenskyy also revealed that he had discussed a potential US-hosted meeting with Trump during a phone call on Sunday, suggesting such a format could make it harder for Putin to decline.
“Such a meeting could be organised in the US in a format that would make it much harder for Putin to refuse,” he said in a Telegram post.
A Ukrainian official said the proposal had been communicated to both American and French officials, as well as directly to Russian counterparts, but no clear response had been received.
In response to continued attacks, Zelenskyy accused Putin of acting “cynically” after Russian strikes killed at least 10 people in Kyiv and Kharkiv overnight.
He said his top priority at the G7 summit would be securing additional air defence systems to protect Ukraine from ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks.
“We will speak with him about how to push Putin to stop this war,” he said, referring to planned discussions with Trump and European leaders.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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