Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to meet Vladimir Putin in Azerbaijan, signalling Kyiv’s willingness to pursue direct talks as U.S.-led peace efforts stall.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine is open to negotiations “in any format” and at almost any location, but ruled out meetings on Russian or Belarusian soil, arguing neither can be considered neutral venues.
During his first visit to the South Caucasus since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Zelenskyy met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and said Kyiv is ready for trilateral talks in Baku, building on earlier rounds held in Turkey and Switzerland. Azerbaijan has positioned itself as a potential mediator.
The proposal comes as Western-backed ceasefire efforts have failed to produce a breakthrough, leaving diplomacy at an impasse while Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities continue.
At the same time, Kyiv is deepening cooperation with Baku. Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian military experts have been deployed to Azerbaijan to share anti-drone expertise, marking a step forward in defence ties between the two countries.
Azerbaijan has also provided repeated humanitarian assistance to Ukraine during the war, including following Russian strikes that damaged Azerbaijani-linked facilities.
