A person close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said preparations are underway for possible talks with Russia, according to T-Online. The aide indicated the groundwork is being laid for discussions expected in October, T-Online reports.
The comments come as Zelensky has said he is willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, German outlets reported. Several publications, including Der Spiegel and WELT, linked that readiness to the G20 summit set to take place in Miami. According to WELT, Zelensky said the two sides "must talk."
The Kremlin has so far held back from committing to such a meeting, Der Spiegel reported. That leaves the prospect of direct talks uncertain, with Moscow showing reluctance while Kyiv signals it is open to the idea.
Zelensky is also hoping to meet with US President Donald Trump, the Frankfurter Rundschau reported. That outlet framed the Ukrainian leader's position as readiness for a Putin summit alongside hopes for talks with Washington.
The flurry of reports points to active diplomatic maneuvering around the G20 gathering, though no meeting has been confirmed by either side. The October timeframe mentioned by the Zelensky aide remains the clearest signal of when talks could take shape, per T-Online.
What to watch next: whether the Kremlin responds to the signals from Kyiv and whether any Zelensky-Putin or Zelensky-Trump meeting is formally confirmed ahead of the Miami summit.
