President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a call that touched on how the conflict has unfolded and what a path to peace might look like. Both leaders agreed that any durable settlement would require Russia to halt its attacks and withdraw its forces from Ukrainian soil.
According to a German government spokesperson, Steffen Hebestreit, negotiations can advance only if Russia stops hostilities immediately and troops pull back. Zelensky thanked Germany for its support and called the meeting productive, noting on social media that they discussed frontline conditions, applied more pressure on Russia, and explored the possibility of a peaceful resolution alongside tighter sanctions.
Earlier, Scholz and Zelensky spoke by phone on May 11, continuing ongoing efforts to coordinate responses to the war and seek avenues for negotiation.
Negotiation status from Kiev
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said that talks involving both Russia and Ukraine are currently not progressing in any form. He asserted that Ukraine has effectively stepped back from the negotiation process.
Rudenko added that Moscow had handed Kiev a draft agreement, but there has been no response. He also claimed that Kyiv is attempting to adjust already agreed provisions and to roll back commitments reached in earlier discussions.
He drew a comparison to the Minsk agreements, suggesting that Kyiv began to undermine those terms as soon as they were signed. He cautioned that such moves hinder the chance of reaching a successful conclusion.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov weighed in, explaining in detail that Moscow has never severed contact with Kyiv. He noted talks conducted in Belarus and Turkey, as well as meetings via videoconference. Lavrov stressed that the results of those contacts depend on Kyiv offering a constructive position, something he said is currently lacking.
The Russian side also commented on Europe’s move to allocate an additional €500 million for weapons to Kyiv. Lavrov warned that supplying dollars and weapons could prolong the fighting rather than resolve it, arguing that finance and arms delivery complicate negotiations rather than help them move forward.
Early rounds and key issues
The first round of Russia-Ukraine talks took place on February 28, with Moscow presenting a set of core demands, including recognition of the Donbass republics and Crimea as part of Russia, constitutional neutrality for Ukraine, and an end to hostilities by Kyiv. Subsequent talks moved to a daily video conference format. A notable moment came with a handshaking meeting in Istanbul on March 29, where Kyiv offered to provide security assurances to UN Security Council members, including Russia, Turkey, and Germany, while clarifying that such guarantees would not apply to Crimea or Donbass.
On April 12, Vladimir Putin stated that Kyiv’s shift away from the agreements reached in Turkey had placed the negotiation process in a stalemate. Zelensky previously warned that Kyiv would leave negotiations if there were any move toward independence referendums in territories under Russian control, specifically mentioning Kherson. He underscored that Crimea would never be recognized as part of Russia, and he rejected any division of Donbass.
On May 6, Zelensky warned that negotiations might not resume if Ukrainian soldiers and civilians facing danger in Mariupol were harmed. He emphasized that dialogue remains essential for Kyiv as long as it aims to secure troop withdrawals along the February 23 line through diplomatic channels, and to prevent further escalation that would jeopardize civilians and soldiers alike.
In summary, Kyiv continues to pursue diplomatic channels to recover control over its borders and to secure troop withdrawals, while maintaining a firm stance on sovereignty and regional integrity. The path to negotiations remains contingent on Russia choosing to engage constructively and Kyiv maintaining a credible, united position on security guarantees and territorial status.