Attack with dozens of drones during the night

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Russia's refusal to agree to a ceasefire before starting negotiations on a peace deal is making the situation more difficult.

"We see that Russia rejects the numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will end the killing. This complicates the situation," Zelensky declared in a post on the social network X.

Thank you for the support! All the points mentioned are important to achieve a truly sustainable and reliable peace. We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing. This complicates the situation. If they lack… pic.twitter.com/bkTXwjMSnX

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 16, 2025

The Ukrainian president stressed that if Russia lacks the "willingness to execute a simple order to stop the attacks, it may be very difficult to get it to have the will to implement something much bigger: peaceful coexistence with its neighbor for decades."

However, Zelensky assured that, together with its allies, Ukraine is working toward peace and security. "Stopping the killing is a key element in stopping the war," the leader insisted, adding that preparations are underway for Monday's meeting in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, who met with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska on Friday.

"It's important that everyone agrees that there should be a conversation at the leaders' level to clarify all the details and determine what steps are necessary and how they will work," Zelensky commented regarding Trump's proposal to hold a trilateral summit with Putin.