Zelensky Expresses Readiness for Talks with Putin

Khabor Wala Desk

Published: 24th August 2025, 12:04 PM

Zelensky Expresses Readiness for Talks with Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared his willingness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to resolve long-standing disputes over contested territories between the two neighbouring nations. The statement was confirmed by Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergiy Kyslytsya, during a recent interview.

In a discussion with NBC News on Friday, Kyslytsya remarked: “I believe President Zelensky has already made it clear that he is prepared to enter into negotiations and hold direct talks with President Putin over Ukraine’s disputed regions.”

He further emphasised that Ukraine is also keen to discuss security issues with Russia. “We want to secure a binding security agreement with Moscow. Drafting of the agreement is underway, and Ukrainian policymakers are working tirelessly, day and night, to prepare the framework,” he added.

The roots of the territorial tensions can be traced back to the early 1990s, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Year	Event	Outcome
Early 1990s	Dispute over Crimea began between Russia and Ukraine	Prolonged tension lasting nearly two decades
2014	Russia, with support from the Russian-speaking population in Crimea, annexed the peninsula after a referendum	Majority of Crimeans voted in favour of joining Russia
2015	Minsk Agreement signed in Belarus between Moscow and Kyiv	Ukraine pledged to recognise Crimea as Russian territory constitutionally
Post-2015	Ukraine failed to fulfil this commitment and in 2017 applied for NATO membership	Heightened tensions with Russia
Feb 2022	Russia launched a full-scale military operation in Ukraine, ordered by President Putin	Escalation of the conflict
Late 2022	Russian forces seized large parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia	These regions were subsequently integrated into Russia’s map

The United States has been the largest provider of weapons and financial support to Ukraine during the war. Under President Joe Biden, Washington maintained a firm stance, refusing to recognise Russia’s annexations and backing Zelensky’s unwavering claims over Crimea and the four occupied provinces.

However, the dynamics shifted after Donald Trump returned to power in January 2025.

Trump curtailed what he called the “blank cheque” assistance to Kyiv.
He publicly stated that he wanted to bring the war to an end.
Importantly, he argued that if peace required Ukraine to relinquish some of its territories, Kyiv would have to make that concession.

In August 2025, Trump engaged in a series of high-profile meetings:

15 August: Met Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
18 August: Held talks with President Zelensky and European Union leaders.

According to Trump, these meetings were “largely successful” in paving the way towards peace discussions.

International political analysts believe that the Zelensky–Putin negotiation initiative is primarily the result of intensified pressure from the Trump administration.

They argue that with Washington signalling a shift in policy and reducing unconditional support, Kyiv has little choice but to explore dialogue as a viable pathway to end the protracted conflict.

Source: RT