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Ukraine Proposes New Round of Talks With Russia Next Week, Says Zelenskyy
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has proposed holding a new round of talks with Russia next week, between July 21 and 27.
The proposal was conveyed by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, who informed the president of the initiative.
In his nightly address on July 19, Zelenskyy emphasized the need to intensify diplomatic engagement. “The negotiation dynamic must be increased,” he said, underlining that Ukraine continues to seek a ceasefire.
The president reiterated key priorities for Ukraine in the talks, including a prisoner exchange, the return of deported Ukrainian children, and the cessation of hostilities. He also reaffirmed Ukraine’s readiness for a summit at the leadership level to pursue a sustainable peace agreement.
According to Zelenskyy, dialogue with Russia is ongoing, particularly concerning the implementation of agreements reached during the previous round of negotiations in Istanbul in May 2025. Ukrainian representatives are currently working on another potential prisoner swap.
Earlier rounds of talks, facilitated by the US under President Donald Trump’s administration, involved talks between Kyiv and Moscow, proposing a full cessation of hostilities—a proposal Ukraine backed, while Russia rejected.
In May, Ukraine proposed an unconditional 30-day ceasefire with the option to extend, but Russia declined and called instead for direct peace talks.
On May 16, delegates met in Istanbul—the first in-person talks since 2022—and agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners from each side, with initial stages returning 390 and then 307 individuals per side by May 25, marking the largest swap to date.
Since then, multiple follow-up exchanges under Istanbul agreements have taken place: an additional swap in early June and a fifth exchange by mid‑June, with over 5,000 Ukrainian POWs returned from Russian captivity since March 2022.
