Trump‑mediated Ukraine peace diplomacy – renewed talks

In July 2026 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Europe and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were trying to derail the peace suggestions former U.S. President Donald Trump presented to Vladimir Putin at their August 2025 Alaska summit. Moscow had accepted the proposals, no written agreement was signed, and the war in Ukraine continued.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry warned that Russia was moving to seize the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and reconnect it to the Russian grid, urging Latin American and Caribbean nations to pressure Moscow.

Zelensky announced a July 22 telephone conversation with Trump‑appointed envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He described the call as “good and important,” thanked the envoys, President Trump and the American people, and said it was meant to revive diplomacy toward a “peace with dignity.” Both sides pledged to keep their teams in close contact while parallel talks continued with U.S. officials on licences for Patriot air‑defence interceptors.

Russia reiterated openness to talks but insisted on a full Ukrainian withdrawal from the Donbas, a demand Kyiv rejects. The United States has shifted much of its diplomatic focus to the conflict in Iran, leaving the Ukraine‑Russia mediation stalled.

The call followed Ukrainian long‑range strikes on Russian logistics hubs linked to the e‑commerce firm Wildberries, which caused civilian casualties, and preceded U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s planned meeting with Lavrov in Manila, where the war is expected to be on the agenda.