KYIV, May 22 - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday pressed for a renewed and intensified diplomatic effort to achieve an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, saying he anticipates forthcoming proposals from the United States outlining potential formats and timetables for negotiations.
In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy conveyed the results of a virtual meeting with the leaders of Britain, France and Germany and characterised the current trajectory on the battlefield as advantageous to Ukraine.
"Right now everything must be done to intensify diplomacy," he said, according to his address. He added that he was "expecting a response from the American side regarding possible formats and the schedule of meetings."
Zelenskiy framed recent battlefield developments as exerting pressure on Moscow. He said the trend at the front was "not in the interests of the occupier," and highlighted what he described as an increased tempo in Ukraine's operations against Russian personnel. He linked these battlefield dynamics, together with sanctions "of all forms," as factors that are pushing Russia toward considering diplomacy.
The president told his counterparts - French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz - about those frontline developments during the virtual talks.
He also provided a concrete figure for Kyiv's territorial recovery this year, saying Ukraine had restored control over 590 square kilometres (228 square miles) of territory that had been occupied.
A statement issued by Britain after the meeting said Zelenskiy had briefed the leaders on "the progress made by Ukraine's military in recent weeks, as it continues to ramp up its defence in the face of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's continued attacks." The statement said the three partners "confirmed they would double down on their support in the coming months" and agreed that resisting Russian aggression remains vital for European and global security.
Context and implications
While Zelenskiy called for intensified diplomacy and awaits U.S. proposals on how talks might be structured and scheduled, he and allied leaders also emphasised continued military momentum and allied backing. The discussion combined battlefield reporting, shared political messaging and a forward-looking expectation of how diplomacy could be organised.