Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has indicated that he would accept a peace deal that freezes the conflict along current front lines. This statement was made in an interview where he emphasized the need to stop the killing before engaging in negotiations for a durable peace.
What happened
Zelensky's remarks came after a meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, Norway, where representatives from several European countries and NATO were also present. Witkoff then traveled to St. Petersburg to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, carrying an updated framework proposal developed with Ukrainian and European input.
Zelensky stressed that any freeze would need to be paired with Western backing and security guarantees. He also expressed willingness to halt strikes on Russian oil refineries if Moscow took reciprocal steps. Additionally, he renewed his call for a trilateral summit with Putin and former US President Donald Trump, a format that the Kremlin has so far rejected.
