Ukraine Proposes Leaders’ Summit With Putin, Trump, Erdogan by August

During the third round of peace talks in Istanbul, Ukraine proposed holding a leaders’ summit by the end of August involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and US President Donald Trump. The Ukrainian delegation emphasized that this summit is essential for resolving fundamental issues and aligns with the timeline set by President Trump for finding a solution. Although progress was made on humanitarian issues such as prisoner exchanges — with over 1,200 prisoners expected to be repatriated, including the seriously wounded and young captives — both sides remain far apart on ceasefire agreements and the broader end to the war. Russia’s conditions for a ceasefire include Ukraine’s military disarmament and recognition of Russian annexation claims, which Ukraine has not accepted. Ukrainian officials acknowledged no concessions have been secured yet, but expressed readiness for a ceasefire and continued negotiations. The talks so far have produced limited results despite multiple rounds, reflecting ongoing challenges in achieving a peaceful resolution.