Zelenskyy Calls for Trilateral Meeting

Zelenskyy said Trump could organize a meeting involving himself, Putin and the U.S. president. He said such a format would allow the leaders to discuss difficult and sensitive issues directly rather than continuing the conflict without a negotiated settlement.

Ukraine has previously expressed support for restarting trilateral negotiations involving the United States and Russia. U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have also been involved in efforts to revive such talks.

Zelenskyy has said that a meeting with Trump could be an important step before arranging a broader trilateral format.

Zelenskyy Says He Is Ready to Meet Putin

Zelenskyy said he is ready to meet Putin “anytime,” presenting a direct meeting as one possible way to address the issues preventing an end to the war.

The Ukrainian president has repeatedly argued that negotiations should focus on concrete steps toward ending the fighting rather than prolonged discussions over historical explanations for the conflict.

His latest comments come as Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange attacks while diplomatic efforts remain active. Fyrim reported that Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet Trump in New York during the UN General Assembly to discuss possible de-escalation measures, including an energy truce.

Zelenskyy Rejects Historical Justifications for War

Zelenskyy strongly criticized arguments that use historical reasons to explain the continuation of the war.

He said that if the objective is genuinely to end a war, the focus should be on solving the current problems rather than using history as a justification for continued fighting.

His remarks reflect Ukraine's stated position that negotiations should lead to concrete security arrangements and an end to Russian military operations.

Zelenskyy Questions Russia's Battlefield Claims

Zelenskyy also questioned Russia's battlefield position, saying he does not believe Putin is achieving the kind of military success needed to justify the scale of the war to the Russian public.

He argued that the issue is increasingly important for Putin domestically because Russian authorities must explain the costs of the conflict to the Russian population.

Independent assessments of the battlefield have described a continuing and costly war rather than a decisive victory by either side. The Institute for the Study of War has reported that Ukrainian forces have contested Russia's battlefield initiative in several areas during 2026, while Russian forces have continued to make localized gains.

Zelenskyy Points to Russian Casualties

Zelenskyy referred to the large number of Russian troops involved in the war and questioned how the Kremlin could explain the continued human cost if it does not achieve major military objectives.

He said the war has resulted in thousands of Russian casualties each month and argued that the Russian leadership faces pressure to demonstrate tangible results to its population.

The precise number of military casualties remains difficult to independently verify. Both Russia and Ukraine have limited or disputed public reporting of their own military losses, while outside estimates vary considerably.

Diplomatic Efforts Continue

The comments come as diplomatic activity surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war has increased.

Zelenskyy recently said he and Trump agreed to meet in New York and expressed support for diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation. He has also proposed reciprocal steps involving energy infrastructure, with Ukraine indicating that a halt to Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities could be matched by Ukrainian restrictions on attacks against Russian energy infrastructure.

At the same time, Russia has continued military operations and has not agreed to all of Kyiv's proposed conditions for a ceasefire.

Key Points

  • Zelenskyy said he is ready to meet Vladimir Putin at any time.
  • He said Donald Trump could organize a trilateral meeting involving the U.S., Ukraine and Russia.
  • Zelenskyy wants sensitive issues to be discussed directly by the leaders.
  • He rejected historical explanations as a reason for continuing the war.
  • Zelenskyy questioned Russia's battlefield progress and the domestic pressure on Putin.
  • He pointed to the continuing human cost of the conflict.
  • Ukraine and the United States are continuing diplomatic discussions.
  • Zelenskyy and Trump were scheduled to meet in New York during the UN General Assembly.
  • Possible energy-related de-escalation measures remain part of the diplomatic discussions.

Source and Attribution

This article is based on remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy concerning possible direct and trilateral negotiations.