Italian
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has launched a proposal aimed at shaking up the already unstable diplomatic scenario of the war in Ukraine: a direct meeting with Vladimir Putin, scheduled for Thursday in Istanbul. The invitation comes at a time when international pressures for a temporary ceasefire clash with the Kremlin’s strategy, which continues to reject preliminary conditions
UKRAINE. Zelenskyy’s proposal comes after a weekend marked by intense talks: the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland traveled to Kyiv to support a 30-day ceasefire plan, jointly endorsed by Ukraine. The plan was immediately rejected by Moscow. However, Putin countered by expressing willingness to engage in direct talks with Ukraine, suggesting Istanbul as the venue for Thursday.
Donald Trump’s intervention, through his social network Truth Social, quickly changed the tone: the US President urged Zelenskyy to accept negotiations immediately, even without a preliminary ceasefire. Zelenskyy responded shortly after with a message that introduced a condition: a “full and lasting ceasefire starting tomorrow” in order to begin the dialogue. However, the option of a personal presence in Istanbul remains open, an option never practiced by both leaders since the beginning of the conflict.
Putin has not confirmed whether he will attend in person, but has suggested that his diplomatic representatives may be sent. In the same statement, he accused Kyiv of violating previous ceasefire agreements, while also emphasizing the willingness to address the “root causes of the conflict.”
The positions remain distant. Ukraine and its European allies are calling for negotiations to start only after a verifiable ceasefire. Moscow insists on discussing without conditions, keeping its demands on the table: recognition of the occupied territories, limitations on Kyiv’s Euro-Atlantic integration, and the exclusion of Western troops from Ukrainian territory.
Meanwhile, despite Putin’s announcement of a symbolic ceasefire for the anniversary of the victory in the Second World War, Russia has launched over 100 drones on Ukraine in the last few hours, fueling considerable skepticism about the Kremlin’s real commitment to de-escalation.
Also on the American front, the message appears fragmented: while Trump is pushing for immediate negotiations, his envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has stated the opposite, emphasizing that “an unconditional ceasefire is needed first”.
The Istanbul summit could represent a turning point. The diplomatic machine has been reactivated, it remains to be seen whether the parties truly want to negotiate or if they are just managing their international images. The schedule is set: Thursday will show whether diplomacy will manage to enter a new phase or if weapons will continue to dictate the pace.
