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President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 19 said that Kyiv is exploring the possibility of a meeting with delegations from Ukraine, Russia, the United States, and the EU in Turkey, the Vatican, or Switzerland, he announced at a press briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent.
"We are considering a meeting of all the teams. We want to organize it at a high level. The United States, Ukraine, Russia, some EU representatives, and the United Kingdom," he said.
"Such a meeting could take place in Turkey, the Vatican, or Switzerland. We are considering these three venues. The question is not about comfort, but who will be able to organize a meeting with an appropriate result."
The statement comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which he continued to refuse to agree to a full ceasefire, instead stating he is prepared to negotiate a "memorandum regarding a potential future peace treaty."
The call follows days of largely inconclusive negotiations in Istanbul on May 16, where Russia sent a delegation of low-level officials and reiterated sweeping territorial demands, including that Ukraine accept the loss of Crimea and four eastern regions.
The Russian delegation at the peace talks consisted only of lower-ranking officials, raising doubts about Moscow's commitment to ending the war, despite the Kremlin proposing the discussions.
After the May 19 conversation, Trump said on Truth Social that Russia and Ukraine will "immediately start" negotiations toward a ceasefire and an end to the war.
"The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of," Trump said.
A source in the President's Office told the Kyiv Independent that Trump and Zelensky spoke twice on May 19 — once before the scheduled call with Putin and again afterward.
According to Zelensky, during his phone call with the U.S. president, he advocated for a ceasefire, the opportunity to express views on the memorandum, and for decisions regarding Ukraine not to be made without Kyiv's involvement.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
