Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin that they hold a summit in the United States or France to end the war.
According to Reuters on the 15th (local time), Zelensky said he agreed to a plan for the United States to pursue a meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit, speaking to reporters during a visit to a Kyiv monastery damaged by a Russian nighttime airstrike.
He noted that U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron are both attending the G7 summit, saying, "It is a place where Europe and the United States come together. It is a very good opportunity for everyone to gather in one place and talk."
However, Zelensky said, "Europe and the United States agreed, but Russia has once again shown it is not ready to talk."
He later said on Telegram that during a call with Trump the previous day, he also proposed that he and Putin meet in the United States. Zelensky said, "At the very least, it could be a format in which it is much harder for Putin to refuse Trump's proposal," adding, "If Russia rejects even this opportunity, greater pressure will be needed."
The proposal came as the United States and Iran reached an agreement to end their conflict, drawing Trump's attention back to mediating the war in Ukraine. Trump said the previous day that he had spoken with both Zelensky and Putin by phone, adding, "We might be able to do something on that issue as well," and, "Both of them seem open to it."
A Ukrainian official said Zelensky conveyed the G7 meeting proposal to the U.S. side and to President Macron, and also directly extended an invitation to the Russian side. However, Russia has not yet provided a clear response.
Earlier this month, Zelensky also sent an open letter to Putin, saying the war is placing a heavy burden on the Russian economy and proposing a face-to-face meeting. Putin, however, has publicly said he does not see the need for talks.