Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is preparing for a major diplomatic gambit: direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin focused on the explosive issue of territory. This high-stakes negotiation is the centerpiece of a U.S.-brokered peace initiative announced this week.
Zelenskyy has publicly stated his intention to reserve the territorial discussion exclusively for his meeting with Putin. This strategy aims to separate the most sensitive sovereignty issues from the broader, multilateral negotiations over security guarantees, potentially streamlining both processes.
The United States is the driving force behind this potential summit. The White House claims to have secured Putin’s agreement for the meeting within a two-week timeframe during a phone call between President Trump and the Russian leader. This ambitious schedule, however, has been met with caution from Moscow, which has stressed the need for detailed preparation.
While Zelenskyy prepares his arguments on territory, his diplomats and allies are working on a framework for Ukraine’s future security. NATO military leaders are involved in these talks. The U.S. has signaled its potential role in this framework, ruling out ground troops but confirming that air support is an option under consideration.