**Ukraine Pushes for Direct Meeting with Putin as Next Step in Ceasefire Negotiations**
In a bid to move the stalled peace talks forward, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has announced that the country’s next goal is to organize a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking at a press briefing on June 26 in Kyiv, Umerov outlined a multi-stage negotiation process that began in January with an initiative from US President Donald Trump.
**A Long and Winding Road**
The peace talks have been a long and complex process, with multiple rounds taking place in various cities around the world. These include Jeddah, Riyadh, Paris, London, and Istanbul. However, despite Ukraine’s commitment to finding a peaceful solution, Russia has consistently refused to agree on a comprehensive ceasefire.
**A Rejected Proposal**
In early March, Ukraine accepted a US-proposed full ceasefire across land, sea, and air. However, Russia rejected this proposal, which has led to continued fighting in the conflict zone. Despite this setback, talks have resulted in several prisoner exchanges, including a 1,000-for-1,000 swap that took place in late May.
**Humanitarian Issues and Top-Level Dialogue**
The focus of recent negotiations has shifted towards humanitarian issues such as the release of civilians and children. Umerov emphasized that the next stage must include top-level dialogue between Ukrainian and Russian leaders. “After completing discussions on humanitarian issues, Ukraine plans to move forward to the topic of a leaders’ summit for substantive dialogue,” he said.
**Pressure Needed**
Ukraine’s Defense Minister called on the international community to put pressure on Russia to find a genuine solution to the conflict. He accused Moscow of avoiding meaningful peace and criticized the limited ceasefire offers made by Russia as “insufficient.” Zelensky has also spoken out against Russia’s stance, calling for increased sanctions if talks remain fruitless.
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