Despite the intensified Russian attacks against his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope that talks to end the war "will soon resume", DPA reported, BTA reported.
"I expect the American side to be able to organize a trilateral meeting as early as October", he said in his evening video address. "The Ukrainian negotiating team is ready. Now this readiness must also come from Russia", the Ukrainian leader added.
"Diplomacy must also become a priority for Russia", he added. "So far, they have focused exclusively on attacks on Ukraine and destabilizing its ties with Europe," Zelensky said.
"An important task for the United States and all of Ukraine's influential partners is to convince Russia to turn to diplomacy, to take concrete steps instead of resorting to murder," he added.
Since it began its war against Ukraine, Russia has repeatedly signaled its readiness to negotiate under certain conditions, only to later backtrack from this position.
However, Kiev, its Western allies and observers have serious doubts about Moscow's genuine readiness to engage in negotiations, DPA reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated earlier this month that Moscow is ready to start negotiations and conclude them as quickly as possible. "Of course, under conditions that are acceptable to both the Russian Federation and the Russian people," he added.