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After nine years, Ukrainians are finally seeing the end of the war.
On September 16, Ukrainian President Zelensky announced via the British Sky News channel, He is willing to meet "without any prerequisites" with US President Trump and Russian President Putin.
However, Zelensky also drew a clear line, He will not go to Moscow for talks.He explained, “I will not go to the capital of a country that is attacking Ukraine.”
This position remains a certain principle, because for the Ukrainians, The visit to Moscow has symbolic significance.。
Regarding the meeting place, Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously made it clear that he believes Moscow is the best place to meet Zelensky. If Zelensky and Ukrainian representatives travel to Moscow, Russia will ensure their safety.。
But Zelensky rejected the proposal and said: He (Putin) can come to Kiev, I can't go to MoscowZelensky believes that Putin’s proposal to meet in Moscow was actually to postpone the meeting.
Zelensky also revealed that he has received many proposals from the United States and Europe to hold talks in other countries, indicating that the international community is actively mediating and building a platform for possible talks.
Russia reacted cautiously to Zelensky's statement.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told TASS that before the Ukrainian authorities reacted reasonably to the Russian proposal, It makes no sense to discuss the possibility of a tripartite summit between Russia and the United States.。
The response suggests the Russian government is taking a watchful stance and may want to further assess the sincerity and international support behind Zelensky’s proposal.
Analysts believe that, Russia is waiting for better negotiating terms.
The Russian negotiation process is a three-wave.
On May 30, Zelensky called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the possibility of a new round of talks between Ukraine and Russia in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Zelensky thanked Erdogan and Turkey for their principled support for Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty. He noted that the exchange of prisoners was the “important but unfortunately the only” outcome of the first round of Ukrainian-Russian talks in Istanbul.
In order to move further towards peace, Zelensky stressed that Russia needs a ceasefire.
He also revealed that the two sides discussed the possibility of holding talks between the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United States, showing that multilateral diplomacy has been going behind the scenes.
On June 2, the two sides held a second round of talks in Istanbul, Turkey.
After the talks, several Ukrainian officials announced the contents of the talks with the Russian side. This includes the exchange of prisoners, the exchange of memoirs and the time for the next negotiation.
After the Russian-Ukrainian talks, the head of the Ukrainian delegation and the meeting of Ukrainian Defence Minister Umerov revealed that the Ukrainian talks called for a ceasefire, the release of Ukrainian personnel and a meeting of leaders.
This round of negotiations only discussed the issue of personnel exchange with Russia, and has reached an agreement on the exchange of prisoners of war.
The two sides agreed to exchange all seriously ill and seriously wounded prisoners of war and prisoners of war under the age of 25 and to exchange the remains of the dead soldiers in the "6000 to 6000" pattern.
These specific details indicate that the negotiations have entered a substantive phase.
Now, while Zelensky announced his willingness to meet, he also revealed a worrying news. Russia is preparing two autumn offensives.This information suggests that despite the possibility of peace talks, the risk of war continues to rise.
Military analysts believe that Russia may be seeking to gain more battlefield advantages before negotiations in order to have more codes in future negotiations.
This tactic is not uncommon, but increases the complexity of the peace process under the current circumstances.
The Ukrainian military is already on high alert for a possible new offensiveMeanwhile, the Ukrainian government is still actively seeking military support from the international community.
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its third anniversary, the mood of the Ukrainian people has changed significantly. In Kharkiv, which is only 30 kilometers away from the eastern front of Ukraine, some citizens told the media, Waiting for a ceasefire and wanting peace.。
A citizen of Kharkiv named Igor said: “Stop war is the most important thing for our country, to stop bombing and airstrikes on Kharkiv is the most important thing for our city.”
This feeling of tiredness is evident in the front zone.
Igor added, “The closer the Ukrainians are to the war zone, the more they are eager for peace,” reflecting the heavy burden and psychological trauma that war brings to the ordinary people.
After three years of war, Ukrainians' definition of "victory" has changed significantly。
Ukrainians believe the release of all prisoners of war and kidnapped children, the preservation of the status of the country and the Russian army’s halt to missile attacks are signs of victory over Russia.
Only 27% of respondents believe the “recovery of the 1991 legal boundaries” represents victory.This shift shows that the expectations of the Ukrainian people are becoming more pragmatic and more concerned with humanitarian and national survival issues.
Analysts believe that, This change in public sentiment gave the Zelensky government some flexibility.So that it can not be limited to territorial issues in negotiations, but pursue a more comprehensive solution.
The confidence of Ukrainians comes not only from their own struggle, but also from the ongoing support of the international community.In the past three years, the United States has provided Ukraine with aid worth $134 billion, including advanced air defense systems and drones.
Even the August poll showed, 73% of Ukrainians believe the country will win the war against RussiaThis confidence is largely based on international support.
However, international support also faces some variables.
After Trump took office, Solely advance negotiations with Russia, excluding participation of Ukraine and European countriesTrump even criticized Ukrainian President Zelensky’s dictatorship and blamed Ukraine for attacking Russia.
Zelensky’s remarks offer new possibilities for the peace process, but the road ahead is still challenging. Russia’s military presence in eastern Ukraine and the Crimea issue are complex issues.
On the other hand, The Ukrainian government also needs to balance the different expectations at home.。
Some groups strongly oppose excessive compromise.
Oleksandr Kachaturian, president of Ukrainian Youth Solidarity in Belgium, said: "We have made sacrifices, people will not give up these sacrifices, and we will not go in other directions and accept humiliating peace."
All these factors mean that even if the talks are held, the road to peace is still long and difficult.
But Zelensky’s latest statement is undoubtedly an important step towards ending the three-year conflict.
References:
Zelensky: willing to meet Trump and Putin but not to go to Moscow 2025-09-17 03:53 PM
2. "Zelensky met with the President of the European Parliament to discuss the accession process and other issues" 2025-09-18 02:06 | Source: Global Network
"Russia claims to carry out cluster strikes on Ukrainian targets and claims to strike the logistical hub of the Russian military and counter-attack" 2025-09-20 07:16
Trump: I thought the Russian-Ukrainian issue was the easiest to solve, but in fact it is complicated 2025-09-19 04:58