Ukraine Ready for Peace Talks, Zelenskyy Vows to Protect its Territories

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says his country is ready for peace talks with Russia, but won't give up more territory as Moscow demands. This comes as a planned summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was postponed after Russia stuck to its conditions for a ceasefire.

Speaking to journalists Tuesday, Zelensky said he's prepared to hold negotiations anywhere except Russia and Belarus. The Ukrainian leader made these comments after meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister David van Wiel, who is visiting Ukraine.

A summit between Trump and Putin was supposed to happen in Budapest this month, but it fell through when Moscow insisted Ukraine hand over additional land as a condition for stopping the fighting. Trump has backed Ukraine's proposal for an immediate ceasefire based on current battle lines.

Ukrainian and European officials will meet Friday or Saturday to discuss details of a ceasefire plan. But Zelensky was clear about what this means: "This is not a plan to end the war, but to start diplomatic efforts." He added that advisors will work through the specifics in the coming days.

The Ukrainian president also pushed for tougher restrictions on Russia from the US Congress. This comes after Trump imposed sanctions on Moscow's two biggest oil companies. Zelensky wants to see more economic pressure applied to force Russia to negotiate seriously.

Looking ahead, Zelensky said Ukraine will need steady funding from European allies for two to three years. He also expressed hope that China might pressure Russia to end the crisis instead of helping it continue in any form.

The timing matters for markets and global stability. Oil sanctions are already affecting energy prices, and prolonged conflict continues to disrupt grain exports from one of the world's major agricultural regions. Any real progress toward talks could ease some of these economic pressures, but Russia's territorial demands suggest significant gaps remain between the two sides.