Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky participated in virtual discussions Wednesday with American negotiators, according to a source with knowledge of the conversations, as Ukraine works to maintain the Trump administration’s attention on its conflict with Russia during the Iran war.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte participated in the discussions alongside U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Senator Lindley Graham, the source informed Reuters.
Ukraine intends to propose a potential Easter ceasefire, Zelensky announced to media on Tuesday, and will request that negotiators relay this proposal to Russian officials.
Through a Telegram message, Zelensky revealed he also conducted a conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday, updating him on his ceasefire plan.
“I informed Keir about the situation on the frontline: our positions are now much stronger,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian petroleum facilities in recent weeks. Approximately 40% of Russia’s oil export operations have been disrupted, based on Reuters analysis from last week.
Zelensky has indicated Ukraine would be willing to halt these attacks if Russia agrees to end strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities.
Russian foreign ministry officials dismissed the ceasefire proposal on Wednesday, labeling it a “PR stunt.” The Kremlin restated its position that Ukrainian forces should have withdrawn from Donbas territory – which Russia has been unable to completely capture during four years of warfare – “yesterday.”
Ukraine views halting combat at current battle lines as a reasonable compromise and refuses Russia’s demands to retreat from territories it continues to hold in the Donetsk region, which is part of Donbas.
Zelensky has consistently advocated for a meeting involving Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that territorial matters can only be resolved through direct leader-to-leader negotiations.
After recent diplomatic tensions between American and European representatives, Finnish President Alexander Stubb announced on X Wednesday that he had spoken with Trump: “Constructive discussion and exchange of ideas on NATO, Ukraine and Iran.”
