Speaking to reporters, he highlighted that a meeting with Putin is a necessary first step before delegations can begin negotiating next steps toward ending the war.
“I want you to understand why I want to meet with Putin," Zelenskyy said.
"We won’t be able to agree on everything — it’s impossible. We have different views on life, different worldviews. But we must somehow find a way to end this war.”
He referenced prior talks in Saudi Arabia, where US mediators attempted to facilitate dialogue between Ukrainian and Russian delegations but failed to produce a ceasefire.
“Without a meeting between the leaders, this format doesn’t work,” Zelenskyy stressed.
However, the Ukrainian president did not rule out the possibility of delegation-level talks in Istanbul, depending on international mediation.
“I don’t know. Honestly. Maybe the Americans, maybe someone else really wants to restart this format. I don’t know,” he added.
Ceasefire proposals and Istanbul summit
On May 10, following the Kyiv summit of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” and a joint call with US President Donald Trump, Ukraine confirmed its readiness for a 30-day ceasefire beginning May 12.
That same day, Vladimir Putin proposed resuming direct negotiations “without preconditions” on May 15 in Istanbul, though he made no mention of the ceasefire proposal supported by Ukraine and its allies.
In his May 11 address, Zelenskyy said he expects Putin to appear in Türkiye and is prepared to meet personally.
On May 12, Trump said he was considering attending the talks. Later, Reuters reported that special envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg would be sent instead, along with State Secretary Marco Rubio and other members of the US delegation.
On May 13, Zelenskyy confirmed he will arrive in Ankara and meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Both are prepared to fly to Istanbul if Putin agrees to come.
Zelenskyy reiterated that he is only ready to negotiate directly with Putin, and no other format has been discussed. He also confirmed that Trump has been formally invited to the talks.