Zelensky backs unconditional peace talks

Ukraine shows openness to direct talks with Russia on territory and security guarantees as the United States plans a brokered peace framework.

Zelensky signals readiness for unconditional peace talks with Russia

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on August 18 that he will directly discuss the issue of territory with Vladimir Putin in potential peace talks, while Ukraine signals willingness to negotiate without preconditions for the talks themselves. He noted that security guarantees would likely be negotiated with international partners as part of any agreement. Zelensky spoke after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders at the White House, where Washington signaled its intent to host a framework including Russia.

He stressed that Ukraine is ready for unconditional peace talks and warned that setting too many conditions could invite a Russia response with 100 pretexts. Zelensky also argued that parts of Ukraine were occupied not solely by military action but because some regions did not experience hostilities, a point aimed at challenging Russian claims over Crimea and other areas. The talks would also address the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, with the United States indicating it will be involved in this painful process. He added that Ukraine will need additional funding to sustain salaries and production, and urged European partners to help secure financing for an extended period. He also floated a future arrangement in which Washington could buy Ukrainian drones once exports open, helping fund domestic drone production. Finally, Zelensky highlighted broad international support, with a coalition of more than 30 countries ready to back Ukraine and provide security guarantees, while some allies offer presence, intelligence, sea safety, or air security roles.

The move signals a shift toward a direct negotiation channel with Moscow, underpinned by a broad coalition and a pledge of security guarantees. It shows Ukraine seeking to balance territorial questions with practical assurances from partners, including financing for its armed forces and key industries such as drone production. The emphasis on unconditional talks reframes the stakes away from preconditions toward substantive guarantees, but it also raises questions about what concessions Kyiv would be willing to accept if a framework emerges. The push for international involvement highlights how diplomacy has become a shared enterprise across Western capitals, yet it also risks dragging domestic publics into a long, costly negotiating process. The emphasis on the return of abducted children places a painful humanitarian lens on the talks and could become a litmus test for Russia’s willingness to engage beyond battlefield outcomes.

Highlights

Diplomacy remains fragile and financial realities will test any peace framework