Kyiv, Ukraine – July 20, 2025 –
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a direct and urgent plea to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling for immediate ceasefire talks and stressing that “the Russian side must stop avoiding decisions.” In a significant move on the Ukrainian war to revive stalled peace efforts, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s readiness for a face-to-face meeting with the Russian leader, emphasizing that such a high-level summit is “essential to genuinely secure peace.”
The call for renewed negotiations comes after a period of intensified fighting and escalating attacks, particularly by Russian forces, on Ukrainian cities. In his nightly address on Saturday, President Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council Secretary, Rustem Umerov, has formally proposed a new round of peace talks with Russia for the upcoming week.
“The dynamics of the negotiations must improve. We need to do everything possible to achieve a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy stated, highlighting the urgency of the situation. He further pressed Moscow to address critical humanitarian issues, including “prisoner exchanges, the return of children, and the cessation of killings.”
This latest diplomatic push follows two previous rounds of talks in Istanbul, which, while facilitating some prisoner exchanges and the repatriation of fallen soldiers’ bodies, failed to yield significant progress toward a lasting cessation of hostilities. Ukraine has consistently rejected Russia’s hardline demands, which reportedly include territorial concessions and a rejection of Western military support, as unacceptable.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, in a seemingly conciliatory remark on Friday, had indicated that Moscow agreed with Zelenskyy’s assessment that peace efforts needed “more momentum.” However, Russia has repeatedly stated that while it is open to talks, it remains committed to achieving its “main goals” in Ukraine, which remain unclear but widely interpreted as including significant territorial gains. Moscow has so far largely refused a direct meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, despite repeated calls from the Ukrainian side.
The renewed call for peace talks also follows recent international pressure. Notably, U.S. President Donald Trump had set a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine or face “100 percent tariffs” and the prospect of secondary sanctions being imposed on countries buying Russian oil. While Ukraine has shown willingness to back American proposals, Moscow has dismissed such ultimatums as “very strange” and one-sided.
The backdrop to Zelenskyy‘s appeal is a grim reality on the ground. Russian forces have continued a heavy military offensive, particularly along the eastern front in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. In recent days, Ukraine has reported massive Russian drone and missile attacks, including a significant strike on the Black Sea port city of Odesa that resulted in casualties and damage. Concurrently, Ukraine has intensified its own drone attacks on Russian territory, with reports of fires and flight diversions near Moscow.
As the conflict stretches into its third year, the humanitarian cost continues to mount, and the international community remains divided on the most effective path to peace. Zelenskyy’s direct challenge to Putin to engage in meaningful dialogue reflects Ukraine’s enduring commitment to a diplomatic resolution, even as the fighting rages on. The coming week will reveal whether Moscow is prepared to match Kyiv’s stated readiness for concrete steps toward a ceasefire and a lasting peace.
