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Ukrainian President Zelensky recently said a word in an interview with British Sky News, which caused a lot of concern.
He rarely let go and said, willing to have a direct dialogue with Russian President Putin,And "no conditions are preset".
But he also set a clear line, not going to Moscow for negotiations, only considering meeting in a third country.
As it turns out, everyone is guessing: After so long, is there finally a turnaround?
There have been no talks between Russia and Ukraine since the outbreak of the conflict in 2022.
Earlier in Istanbul, Turkey, the two sides sat down and talked.
At that time, Russia proposed to discuss it in three groups.Humanitarian, military and political issues are discussed separately.
But sadly, the differences between the two sides are too big, and there is no substantial progress to talk about.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov said: He said that Putin invited Zelensky "not to make him surrender", but to sincerely hope to start a dialogue.
Having said that, the two sides have never been able to negotiate.
The war has been fought for more than three years now. The cost for Ukraine is very high.
The infrastructure was blown down, the energy system was attacked for three days and two, and the economy was more tense for a long time.
The longer the war lasts, the more the contradictions within society accumulate, the people are tired, the opinions between the political factions are different, and there are people who support the government to harden the end.Others began to question the significance of continuing to fight.
Zelensky must also know that if this continues, internal pressure will only increase.
So he this time in international occasions sends a signal of "willing to talk", in a way also in response to the voice of the domestic.
On the other hand, Russia's recent strategy is also undergoing subtle changes.
They maintain their offensive on the battlefield, while occasionally releasing a "talkable" tone.
In this way of “talking,”In fact, they want to take the code at the same time on the battlefield and on the negotiating table.
Some analysts believe that Russia not only wants to force Ukraine to make concessions, I hope to take the initiative in possible ceasefire arrangements in the future.
This is obviously more difficult for Zelensky to negotiate.
Zelensky made it quite clear in this interview.
He said he was willing to have a direct dialogue with Putin and did not exclude meeting with former US President Trump.It can be either bilateral or tripartite.
When it comes to conditions, he said "no preconditions", but he resolutely refused to go to Moscow.
This is actually easy to understand: Moscow is the political heart of Russia. If Zelensky really goes there, There must be people in Ukraine who will think that he is going to“Forgiveness”Yes, this will be a great blow to his own political prestige.
Looking back at the diplomatic actions in recent years, the United States has always been a key player.
Russian President's Foreign Affairs Assistant Ushakov mentioned before, During the phone call between the leaders of Russia and the United States, both sides expressed support for direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, and even discussed whether to raise the level of negotiators a little further.
Zelensky's news that he is willing to talk this time is also sending a message to Washington to some extent. Hopefully the United States will step up its efforts to promote the ceasefire process.
From the perspective of the overall European environment, The situation is also less favorable for Ukraine.
European countries' attitudes towards aiding Ukraine are becoming increasingly inconsistent. Some countries continue to provide military aid, while others are beginning to worry that the prolonged war will drag down their economic and social stability.
For the Ukraine, The idea of pushing Russia down by foreign aid alone is no longer very realistic.
Zelensky's change in attitude was actually slowly formed in this environment.
But back to the word, Even though Zelensky has expressed a willingness to negotiate, it is still very difficult to go through this path.
The gap between the two sides on the core issues is still huge. For example, territorial security, and how to arrange the security order of the future zone.
Russia obviously wants to rely on military pressure for bargaining chips. Ukraine wants to preserve its national integrity with the support of the international community.
This fundamental contradiction, It is destined to turn the negotiations into a long tug-of-war.
Many observers thought, The role of third countries would be crucial if a ceasefire or a peace agreement were really to be promoted.
Neutral countries must come out to mediate and provide a relatively fair negotiation venue.
Someone mentioned it before, For example, Belarus or some countries in the Middle East may be suitable as intermediaries.
But in the end, whether it can be achieved, ultimately, it still depends on whether the Russian and Ukrainian sides have a sincere will, and whether the major international powers can coordinate.
At the moment, Zelensky’s statement seems to be more of a gestual adjustment.
He has always insisted that all territories should be recovered. Now he says "no preconditions", which shows that his strategic thinking is also changing.
Behind this change, On the one hand, the consumption caused by war is too great, and on the other hand, the international environment has forced him to be more flexible.
Releasing flexible signals to the outside can both preserve diplomatic space and alleviate pressure on some people.
How will Putin react? Russia has always said that they will not refuse to negotiate,But insist on speaking on the “real basis.”
The “reality” is that Ukraine recognizes the territory that is actually under Russian control.
This is hard to swallow for Ukraine.
Even if both sides are willing to talk, It is still even more difficult to get to the point of signing a ceasefire agreement.
Another interesting point is, Zelensky mentioned former US President Trump many times in interviews,He said he hoped Trump would also be involved, even though Trump is not officially in office at the moment.
But everyone knows that Trump has no small influence in U.S. politics, especially in Ukraine, he has also expressed a lot of views before.
Zelensky did that. Maybe he also wants to use his influence to help Ukraine gain more bargaining chips.
Since the beginning of the war, the topic of peace has been repeated several times.
As early as 2022, there were optimists that a ceasefire was about to come. As a result, because the two sides are too far away, it is no longer possible.
Three years have passed, The situation on the battlefield has changed, and the international pattern has changed too.
Whether Zelensky’s speech will be a new turning point, we must continue to observe.
In the end, this battle has now become a patience match. See who can't stand first, who may have to make greater concessions in the negotiations.
Russia continues to rely on the advantage of resources, while Ukraine relies on Western aid to bite its teeth in defence.
If there was a day of negotiation, It’s not going to be at once, but it’s.The beginning of the long game.
Zelensky shouted to Putin this time, saying "no pre-conditions, but there is a prerequisite," and indeed brought a little new variable to the situation.
Although the road ahead is still difficult, But whether on the battlefield or at the negotiating table, any small change can drive the whole situation to change.
Can Ukraine use this opportunity to find a mitigation of the situation?
Will Russia continue to pursue its own strategy?
These questions, There is no answer yet.
What is your opinion on this? Welcome to discuss together in the comment area!
Text | Chuanliu Interesting Talk
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References:
Zelensky: Ukraine is ready for ceasefire — 2025-09-18 15:17 Russian satellite news agency
Assistant President of Russia: President of Russia and the United States supports continuing direct negotiations with Russia – 2025-08-19 10:16