During the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky answered journalists' questions about negotiations with Russia — and did so without diplomatic hedging. The place to meet with Putin: a neutral third country. Moscow is excluded.
Specific addresses, blurred mechanisms
Zelensky named three possible venues for direct negotiations: Switzerland, Turkey, or Middle Eastern countries. He separately emphasized the potential role of the United States — a country that has already hosted Russian-American summits. Timeframes were also mentioned: the president would like to hold the meeting before winter begins.
«I know that Putin, through various leaders, has repeatedly offered to come to Moscow. But these are games. We don't play such games. A neutral country is needed»
Volodymyr Zelensky, on the sidelines of the G7 summit
However, Zelensky acknowledged: organizing negotiations with US mediation is currently extremely difficult — without publicly explaining what exactly has blocked this format. The proposal remained a declaration without an announced mechanism for its implementation.
The Kremlin: «did not receive» — and offers its own address
Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that an invitation to a meeting in the G7 format to Moscow was not received through official channels. The Kremlin's logic is simple: according to him, official channels between Moscow and Kyiv do not exist. At the same time, Peskov repeated his favorite excuse: if Zelensky is «ready to speak responsibly,» he can come to Moscow, where he will be «received.»
Meanwhile, as Focus.ua reports, the proposal for a G7 meeting was conveyed through Roman Abramovich, who secretly met with Zelensky on May 21. Zelensky himself confirmed this contact after the summit.
A strike on Kyiv — on Trump's birthday
The symbolism of the situation was intensified by the chronology: on June 15, the day when Zelensky publicly proposed a meeting to Putin, Russian armed forces launched a massive strike on Kyiv — with Zircon, Iskander, and Shahed drones. The Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra caught fire. Zelensky called this «cynicism»: the strike occurred on Trump's birthday.
G7 and Trump: support without specific commitments
At the summit itself, Zelensky met with Trump — in the format of a general G7-Ukraine session. The American side had previously refused separate bilateral negotiations, but the meeting still took place behind the scenes. According to Zelensky, he discussed with Trump the transfer to Ukraine of licenses for local production of Patriot missiles. A major drone deal with Canada was also announced.
Summarizing the G7, Zelensky noted that the leaders were «decisively committed to considering all options for increasing pressure» on Russia and expressed support for Trump's efforts to achieve peace. No new specific sanctions packages or security guarantees were announced.
- Zelensky named three neutral countries for a meeting: Switzerland, Turkey, and the Middle East
- The proposal was conveyed through Abramovich — the Kremlin denies receiving an official invitation
- Zelensky himself characterized US mediation as «extremely difficult»
- G7 supported pressure on Russia — without new specific tools
The key question remains open: if there are no official channels between Kyiv and Moscow, and Washington's mediation is «extremely difficult» — through whom and how does Zelensky expect to arrange a neutral venue before winter?
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