Zelensky Accuses Russia of Dodging Peace Talks as Trump Pushes for Summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday accused Moscow of avoiding a proposed meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite US-led efforts to broker peace.

US President Donald Trump has been trying to convene the two leaders in a bid to end Russia’s three-and-a-half-year invasion, but progress has stalled. Zelensky said Russia was “wriggling out of holding a meeting” while intensifying attacks across Ukraine.

The Ukrainian leader reiterated his willingness to meet Putin, but only in a neutral European country and after allies finalize security guarantees to deter future aggression. Moscow, meanwhile, accused Kyiv of demanding terms incompatible with a lasting settlement.

Zelensky also warned of escalating battles, citing Russian troop buildups and Ukraine’s successful test of a new 3,000-kilometer-range cruise missile. His remarks followed Russia’s largest missile and drone barrage in weeks, which struck cities including Lviv, Kherson, and Mukachevo, leaving multiple civilians dead and wounded.

Allies including Britain and France condemned the strikes and are working on a coalition to back Ukraine’s long-term security, while Russia dismissed Kyiv’s conditions as “unrealistic.”