Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that efforts should be made to organize peace talks with Russia before winter. He made this remark during his online participation at the Reuters Next conference.
Zelenskiy explained that he previously saw the France leg of the G7 Summit as an opportunity to facilitate contact with Russia. He also discussed this idea with French President Emmanuel Macron, who hosted the summit.
Zelenskiy said Macron was receptive to the idea, but the Russian side did not respond. He noted that the United States was aware of the proposal but he was not confident about receiving positive signals from Washington.
The Ukrainian leader accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of missing the opportunity for contact during the G7 Summit. He emphasized that a neutral country would need to host any future talks.
Zelenskiy said countries other than Russia or Ukraine could be suitable for this role, naming Switzerland, Turkey, and Middle Eastern countries as possible hosts.
He also highlighted the special role of the United States in the peace process, recalling that previous summits between the US and Russia took place on American soil.
The Ukrainian leader stressed the importance of timing, noting that holding talks before winter is crucial due to the difficulties experienced in previous winters of the war.
Zelenskiy said the upcoming winter would not be easy for Russia either and that Russia needs to understand how hard the war has been for them.
He also touched on his recent meeting with Russian businessman Roman Abramovich in Ukraine. When asked if Abramovich could act as a mediator with Putin, Zelenskiy said he believes Putin uses people only and makes decisions independently.
Nevertheless, Zelenskiy conveyed that he communicated Ukraine’s position through Abramovich. He described the meeting as very concrete and comprehensive, with Abramovich fully understanding Ukraine’s proposals and promising to relay them to the Kremlin.
According to Zelenskiy, Abramovich’s future role will depend on the decisions made by the Russian side. It was also recalled that US President Donald Trump had a good meeting with Zelenskiy during the G7 Summit and stated that Russia must reach an agreement.
