New negotiations may begin on the path to peace between Ukraine and Russia. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
According to President Vladimir Zelensky, Kyiv is ready to take the next important step. The new Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, has proposed holding a new negotiation meeting with Moscow next week.
Zelensky emphasized the necessity of mobilizing all efforts to stop the firing. On May 16 and June 2, Russian and Ukrainian delegations held face-to-face meetings twice in Istanbul.
Although the parties have not retreated from their positions, as a result of these discussions, the exchange of military prisoners and the return of the bodies of the deceased have been carried out. Rustem Umerov participated as the head of the Ukrainian delegation in the meetings.
Zelensky expressed his support for accelerating the negotiations, stating that any step towards peace should not be delayed. He is proposing a new meeting and has also indicated his readiness for a direct meeting with the President of Russia if necessary.
The possibility of reaching an agreement through face-to-face dialogue has been noted. So far, the date of the negotiations has not been clearly established.
The Russian side has not responded to Ukraine's proposal, and their position remains unclear. Maria Zakharova, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that Moscow is ready for negotiations, but Kyiv has emphasized that it is either distancing itself from this process or is not yet ready.
She mentioned that Russia has been ready for agreements since 2022. In Ukraine, the public and political circles are evaluating Zelensky's initiative in two different ways.
Some accept it as a hope for achieving peace, while others, considering Russia's previous experiences, say that no significant results are expected. In any case, every step Zelensky takes towards negotiations is being closely monitored by the international community.
Because every meeting affects people's lives, and the effort to create peace in practice is of particular importance.
