Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russia has sent its first signal indicating it may be willing to end the war in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Zelenskyy revealed that the message came during a recent call with U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, and several European leaders.
“We had a call with President Trump and with some European leaders. During the call, there was a signal from Mr. Witkoff that Russia is ready to end the war; ready for a first step, at least, toward a ceasefire,” Zelenskyy said. “This is the first such signal from them.”
However, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine will not accept any negotiations conducted without its participation, especially ahead of Trump’s upcoming one-on-one summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Talks about us, without us, will not work,” he warned.
The Ukrainian president reiterated that Kyiv will not withdraw its forces from the Russian-occupied Donbas region in eastern Ukraine under any circumstances.
“Our territories are illegally occupied. For the Russians, Donbas is a springboard for a future new offensive. If we leave Donbas of our own accord or under pressure, we will invite a third war,” he said.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Moscow’s occupation in Donbas has expanded, though Ukrainian forces still hold parts of Donetsk province.
The Trump-Putin summit; the first face-to-face meeting between Putin and a sitting U.S. president since the invasion began will take place Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, near Anchorage, Alaska.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the meeting as “a listening exercise” for President Trump. “Only one party involved in this war is going to be present, so this is for the president to gain a more firm understanding of how we can hopefully bring this war to an end,” she said.
The choice of location came down to security needs and logistical challenges during Alaska’s peak tourist season, according to U.S. officials.
Trump told reporters Monday that he hopes to arrange an in-person meeting between himself, Putin, and Zelenskyy soon after the Alaska summit. “The next meeting will be with Zelenskyy and Putin or Zelenskyy and Putin and me,” Trump said.
Sources told CBS News that the U.S. is working to secure a location for such a three-way meeting as early as next week. Zelenskyy, however, insists that any negotiations must also involve European leaders. “The presence of Europe in one form or another is very important, because ultimately, so far, no one but Europe has provided us with security guarantees,” he said.
Zelenskyy voiced concern that the Alaska meeting could primarily benefit Putin. “I believe that Putin will benefit from this, because what he is seeking, frankly, is photographs. He needs a photo from a meeting with President Trump,” he argued. “Ukrainian issues should be discussed by at least three parties.”
A virtual meeting between Zelenskyy, Trump, and European leaders is scheduled for Wednesday to coordinate positions before Trump meets Putin.
While there is no guarantee of progress, Zelenskyy noted that the signal from Russia relayed by Witkoff, was the first indication of willingness to even consider a ceasefire since the war began over three years ago.
The coming days will test whether that signal translates into substantive negotiations or remains a symbolic gesture ahead of a high-profile diplomatic encounter.
