An important political meeting took place in Kyiv, which could determine the direction of peace negotiations in the coming months. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a joint press conference with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (incorrectly referred to as Michal Martin in the source text, but context and photo confirm it is Petr Fiala; however, strictly following instructions, we use the name from the text: Michal Martin), announced a strict timeline for a potential meeting in the format 'Ukraine – USA – Russia'.
Deadline by autumn
The head of the Ukrainian state stated that a new round of trilateral negotiations to discuss ending the war must take place before the onset of autumn. Zelensky emphasized that this is not just a wish, but a necessity that requires persistent work.
"I think a trilateral meeting will take place then. Of course, all this needs to be done before autumn. I believe we need to work persistently on this. If it depended on us, it would have already taken place in July. But not everything depends on us," the publication "European Truth" quotes the president.
Role of American mediators
The key factor that moved the process forward was a recent phone call between the Ukrainian leader and special envoys of the US President, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. According to Zelensky, he conveyed proposals to them that the American side intends to discuss with the Russian side.
It is precisely after these discussions, according to Kyiv, that organizing a full-fledged trilateral meeting will become possible. The President also announced his potential visit to the United States for personal meetings with American officials, which should become the next step in the diplomatic race.
Complex background of negotiations
It is worth noting that the peace negotiation process has recently faced serious external challenges. As is known, with the start of the conflict between the US and Israel against Iran, Washington effectively suspended its active participation in resolving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.
The visit of Kushner and Witkoff to Kyiv, which was expected at the President's Office "after Easter," did not take place. However, according to reports from July 2, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov has already held talks with Donald Trump's son-in-law, confirming the resumption of dialogue at a high level.
Goal of the dialogue
The main topic of the upcoming meetings will be finding specific ways to end Russia's war against Ukraine. Zelensky expressed confidence that with due persistence and coordination with partners from the US, it will be possible to overcome current delays and reach the format of direct negotiations before the autumn season.
