Zelenskyy Talks with Trump and Allies Amid Russia Peace Talks Fail to Achieve Ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reached out to both President Donald Trump and key Western allies following the collapse of peace talks with Russia on Friday. The negotiations, held in Turkey, marked the first direct contact between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in three years but failed to produce any agreement or ceasefire terms. According to Zelenskyy, he spoke with leaders including U.S. President Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. "We discussed the meeting in Istanbul," Zelenskyy shared in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Ukraine is ready to take the fastest possible steps to bring real peace, and it is important that the world holds a strong stance," Zelenskyy emphasized. He insisted that, should Russia refuse a full and unconditional ceasefire, tough sanctions must be enacted:

• Immediate and sustained pressure on Russia
• Unified response from Western allies
• Continued international support for Ukraine

French President Macron confirmed that Moscow once again rejected the ceasefire proposal made by the U.S. and backed by European nations. “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin refuses to respond to the unconditional ceasefire proposal,” Macron stated, adding that Russia’s actions only serve to prolong the conflict. “By rejecting the ceasefire and dialogue with Ukraine, Russia shows it does not want peace and is merely trying to buy time by continuing the war,” he added.

President Trump, meanwhile, has not issued any public statements regarding the failed talks or his conversations with fellow world leaders. When questioned by reporters during a visit to the UAE, Trump reiterated his belief that a direct meeting with President Putin was necessary to achieve progress. “We have to meet. He and I will meet. I think we'll solve it. Or maybe not, but at least we'll know,” Trump said.

The timeline for a potential Trump-Putin meeting remains unclear, and Trump has not detailed specific actions he would pursue should Putin refuse to end the war.
The recent talks in Turkey were initially suggested by Putin and agreed to by Zelenskyy, who proposed the unprecedented step of having both national leaders present. However, the Kremlin announced at the last minute that neither Putin nor senior Russian officials would participate—a move condemned by Zelenskyy as evidence that Russia was “unserious” about seeking a ceasefire.

As a result, Thursday’s negotiations failed to materialize, and doubts flooded the diplomatic channels about whether discussions would occur at all. Attempts to reschedule on Friday proved equally unfruitful, with neither Zelenskyy nor U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attending.

The situation remains tense as world leaders consider their next steps, with Ukraine urging more stringent sanctions and unified global action to pressure Russia back to the negotiating table. For now, the hope for an immediate ceasefire appears elusive.