Kyiv: Ukraine has extended an invitation to Russia for a new round of peace talks to take place in the coming week, as announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This initiative follows the previous round of negotiations that failed to yield significant progress toward ending the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, President Zelenskyy, in his regular evening address on July 19, emphasized the importance of achieving a cease-fire and urged the Russian side to engage constructively. He disclosed that Rustem Umerov, the newly appointed head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, had formally extended the invitation to Moscow. Umerov, who served as the head of the Ukrainian delegation in prior peace talks in Turkey, is taking the lead in this renewed effort.
In a segment broadcasted by Russian state television on July 20, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed Russia's readiness to pursue a peace settlement with Ukraine. However, he reiterated that Russia remains focused on achieving the objectives it established at the outset of the invasion. Peskov highlighted President Putin's commitment to a peaceful resolution, although he acknowledged the complexity and challenges involved.
Russia has stipulated that Ukraine must relinquish control over partially occupied regions, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson, and has called for constraints on Ukraine's military capacity and foreign alliances. Peskov's interview with state television reporter Pavel Zarubin was slated to be aired later on July 20.
Despite Moscow's stated willingness for negotiations, its military actions have intensified. Zelenskyy's call for talks came shortly after a massive Russian attack involving drones and missiles targeted multiple Ukrainian cities, resulting in casualties and destruction. Ukrainian officials reported that a nine-story building in Odesa was struck, causing fatalities and injuries. In retaliation, Ukraine launched drone attacks toward Moscow.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have intercepted numerous Ukrainian drones, with Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirming the downing of over 20 drones near the capital. This aerial conflict led to the disruption of air traffic at Moscow's major airports and caused damage in the Zelenograd region.
The ongoing conflict has also affected infrastructure, as seen in Russia's Rostov region, where drone debris disrupted rail services. Ukraine has justified its actions as efforts to disrupt Russian military logistics, asserting that Ukrainian civilian casualties far exceed those on the Russian side.
Meanwhile, Oleksandr Pertsovskiy, head of Ukrainian Railways, noted an increase in Russian attacks on non-military trains, particularly those transporting coal. Russia also announced the capture of Bila Hora in Ukraine's Donetsk region, although this claim has not been independently verified.