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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a joint press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on June 13 (local time). / Photo courtesy of Reuters, Yonhap News Agency

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has extended a formal invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to convene a historic peace summit in either the United States or France to terminate the ongoing war, according to reports by Reuters and AP on June 15 (local time).

Speaking to reporters in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, President Zelenskyy emphasized that such a forum would present an optimal opportunity for all stakeholders to gather under the joint auspices of Europe and the United States, proposing to leverage the momentum of the ongoing G7 summit hosted by President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Zelenskyy confirmed that the administrative proposal has been formally conveyed to both Washington and the Élysée Palace.

The strategic overture comes as U.S. President Donald Trump champions his administration’s recent peace accord with Iran at the G7 summit, explicitly prioritizing the resolution of the war in Ukraine as his next geopolitical directive.

According to the AP, President Trump stated that he had conducted separate telephone consultations with both Zelenskyy and Putin, noting that both leaders appeared to maintain an open mind and expressing optimism that a diplomatic breakthrough could be achieved.

While Zelenskyy clarified that the invitation had also been extended to the Russian Federation, he disclosed that Kyiv has yet to receive a definitive response. He asserted that should Moscow reject this latest diplomatic opening, the international community must intensify coordinated pressure on the Kremlin.

However, the prospects for the proposed bilateral summit remain highly volatile, as President Putin continues to characterize Zelenskyy as an illegitimate ruler and has repeatedly demonstrated a profound reluctance to engage in direct, face-to-face negotiations.

Meanwhile, geopolitical experts analyze Zelenskyy's proactive proposal as a calculated maneuver tailored to leverage President Trump's self-fashioned archetype as an international peacemaker.

                                                                                                           Park Jin-suk