Moscow and Kyiv may be approaching peace — Der Westen writes about ‘surprising signals’ from Zelensky to the Kremlin

There are increasing signs that Russia and Ukraine might be moving towards a rapprochement. Three recent news items give hope that Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky might come to an agreement in the coming months.

This is reported by the German publication Der Westen.

After the peace conference in Switzerland in June, which took place without China and Russia, it became clear that Germany and the EU play no significant role in the ceasefire and peace agreement process. In contrast, the influence of the superpowers, the USA and China, is substantial. Ukrainians are tired of the war, and there are significant problems with mobilization and recruiting new soldiers. The 46-year-old Zelensky now appears ready for direct negotiations with his enemy, Vladimir Putin.

In a recent interview, Zelensky said that he is, in principle, open to negotiations with Russian representatives at a new peace summit. “And whether it is Putin or not, it doesn’t matter.” Previously, Zelensky had ruled out negotiations with Putin by decree. The Kremlin’s response to these statements was surprisingly open.

Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated: “This is certainly better than statements that any contacts with the Russian side and the Russian leader are excluded.” He added that it is better to talk about dialogue “than about the intention to fight to the last Ukrainian.”

The second glimmer of hope for a ceasefire in Ukraine is the invitation from China to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Officially, China maintains a neutral position in the Ukrainian conflict but is considered an ally of Russia.

The third glimmer of hope: Will Trump bring Putin to the negotiating table? It remains entirely unclear who will win the US elections in 2024. However, even if many do not want to hear it, President Donald Trump could significantly advance the peace process, albeit more in Russia’s interests. After the Republican National Convention, Zelensky and Trump spoke by phone. Trump continues to claim that he will “end this war” when he returns to the White House, the author writes.