Zelenskyy: National Security and Defence Council secretary has proposed meeting with Russian side next week

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) Secretary Rustem Umierov has proposed a meeting with the Russian side next week. Zelenskyy emphasised that Ukraine is ready for a leader-level meeting.

Source: Zelenskyy’s evening address

Quote: "Dialogue with the Russian side on prisoner exchanges is ongoing – we are continuing to implement the agreements reached during the earlier meeting in Istanbul. Our team is currently working on another exchange.

NSDC Secretary Umierov also reported that he has proposed another meeting with the Russian side for next week. The pace of negotiations must be increased. Everything must be done to achieve a ceasefire. And the Russian side must stop hiding from decisions.

Prisoner exchanges. The return of children. An end to the killings. And a meeting at the leader level is needed to truly ensure peace – a really lasting peace. Ukraine is ready for such a meeting."

Background:

• On Friday 18 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed former defence minister Rustem Umierov as secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.
• Speaking about Umierov's tasks in his new role, Zelenskyy also said that "negotiation efforts" with Russia must be stepped up."The implementation of the agreements reached at the second meeting in Istanbul is currently underway. We need more momentum in this process," the president said.
• Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is in favour of "adding momentum" to the negotiation process with Ukraine.
• Meetings between delegations from Russia and Ukraine took place on 16 May and 2 June in Istanbul.

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