Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine remains open to all forms of diplomatic dialogue, including bilateral and trilateral meetings, but stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no real interest in ending the war.
Speaking via video link at the opening of the Cernobbio Economic Forum, Zelensky stated:
“Nobody trusts Putin, because he continues military escalation instead of agreeing to a ceasefire. He is the main obstacle to peace in Ukraine.”
He added that Putin “does not want to end the war—those are just words. If international pressure increases, perhaps he will be forced to. But today, he only escalates further.”
Zelensky emphasized that the first step toward peace must be a ceasefire, urging the EU, the U.S., and the Global South to intensify their efforts to stop Russia’s aggression.
He also called for the immediate implementation of the security guarantees proposed by the Readiness Coalition, without waiting for the war’s conclusion. According to him, 45 countries are part of this coalition, with 26 ready to provide concrete support, including Italy and the United States.
On the Russian side, President Vladimir Putin once again reiterated his opposition to Ukraine’s NATO membership, claiming—through state agency TASS—that it would threaten Russia’s “long-term security interests.”
