Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine is prepared for direct peace talks with Russia, but only after a ceasefire is put in place. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, he said, “We are also ready to record that, after the ceasefire, we are ready to sit down in any format.”

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Zelensky stressed that Ukraine is not the one holding back progress. “There are and will be no impasses on the Ukrainian side,” he said during a briefing on Wednesday, repeating Kyiv’s position that it remains open to negotiations.

Also read: Zelensky accuses Russia of 'trying to create an impression of a ceasefire’

Ukraine pushes for extended Easter ceasefire

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Zelensky said that Ukraine had called for an extension of the Easter truce and wanted it to include a full halt to strikes on civilian areas. “Ukraine proposed to extend the ceasefire after Easter and make it comprehensive,” he said.

“Our proposal to halt strikes on civilian infrastructure remains on the table as well. What’s needed is genuine readiness from Russia to engage in this conversation,” he added.

The comments came after the Kremlin said that certain details still needed to be resolved before a proposed halt to attacks on civilian targets could go ahead.

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No new US aid talks, says Zelensky

Zelensky also said that there had been no fresh discussions with the United States regarding additional military or financial support. “We have not yet had the opportunity to reach an agreement with the US on new aid or discuss the details,” he told reporters.

He added that he wanted to meet US President Donald Trump at Pope Francis's funeral in the Vatican later this week, "Yes, I would like to, I am ready. We are always ready to meet with our partners from the United States." 

Russia claims openness to talks

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was open to direct negotiations but was not ready to back Kyiv’s full ceasefire proposal. He mentioned that Russia would talk if “certain obstacles” were removed by Ukraine.

While it is rare, Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously signalled interest in direct talks with Zelensky. However, any concrete steps have been blocked by a Ukrainian decree passed in 2022, which forbids negotiations with Putin.

There has been a noticeable drop in fighting during the Easter ceasefire, though both sides have accused each other of violating the truce. Zelensky used this relative calm to once again call for urgent action to protect civilians. “Our proposal for a ceasefire on civilian objects also remains in force. We need Russia’s serious readiness to talk about it,” he said.

Although Putin has recently spoken more positively about peace efforts, he has not stepped back from his core demands, including Ukraine’s demilitarisation and Russian control over the four regions it claimed in 2022.

US envoy expected in Moscow amid controversial proposals

In a related development, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is set to visit Moscow this week. The visit follows reports that the US has put forward a peace proposal that may involve Kyiv recognising Russia’s annexation of Crimea and staying out of NATO, a plan said to be putting Ukraine under additional pressure.

“We are expecting (him),” Ushakov told Interfax when asked about the envoy’s expected arrival.