His statements came immediately after US President Donald Trump held phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Following the talks, Putin insisted that a ceasefire is only possible after reaching “appropriate agreements,” effectively dismissing the truce proposed by the EU and the US. The Russian president also said Kyiv and Moscow could sign a memorandum with Ukraine that would "define the principles of settlement." However, it's not clear whether the document would become a reason for Russia to stop hostilities.
The Ukrainian president states that the memorandum could be a way to end hostilities in an alleged move to show willingness for a peaceful resolution, countering narratives that paint Kyiv as unwilling to negotiate.
“There may be a bilateral memorandum that could then lead to a roadmap for ending the war—that is, to a treaty. We are talking about a memorandum that will be supported by both countries and that includes a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy emphasizes.He also says that it is currently unknown what exactly will be in the memorandum with Russia.
“I believe that after receiving appropriate signals and proposals from the Russians regarding the memorandum, we will be able to formulate our own vision,” Zelenskyy adds.Earlier, Kyiv and Moscow held a meeting in Turkiye's Istanbul, where the Russian delegation demanded recognition of its control over partially occupied territories, mirroring its demands at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Read also:
-
Russia and Ukraine agree to the largest-ever prisoner swap—but peace talks in Istanbul stall over Putin’s “outrageous” demands
-
Trump joins second crisis call with Zelenskyy, European leaders, as Putin demands Ukraine retreat from four regions
-
Trump said he might join talks if Putin showed—instead, Russia sent a low-level delegation and continues to bomb Ukraine
