That is why “ceasefire first” remains the clearest answer. Ukraine has continued to distinguish short, symbolic pauses from a longer halt to hostilities; in April 2026, after Putin floated a temporary Victory Day truce, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted a long-term ceasefire rather than only a brief pause around a parade .

The caveat: Zelenskyy has not made it an absolute bar in every circumstance

Kyiv has sometimes treated direct leader-level talks as a way to obtain or lock in a truce, not only as a reward after a truce is already in place. After Putin proposed talks in Türkiye, Zelenskyy said he would be there to meet Putin personally while still hoping for a ceasefire . Some reporting at the time noted it was unclear whether he was making attendance strictly conditional on the ceasefire starting first .

Later, Zelenskyy was reported as saying Ukraine was ready to sit down for talks even without the previously discussed preconditions of a ceasefire or security guarantees . More recently, he said Ukraine had long been ready for meetings and that the practical task was to define the format, end the war, and guarantee security . So the better reading is: Ukraine strongly wants a ceasefire first, but may accept a meeting if the format can realistically stop the fighting.

No talks built around a Russian “ultimatum”

Another condition is that Ukraine would not enter talks on the basis of Russian demands it considers an ultimatum. In June 2025, Zelenskyy rejected a Russian ceasefire proposal as an “ultimatum” and again called for face-to-face talks with Putin to break the deadlock . That distinction matters: Kyiv has shown willingness to talk, but not to treat Moscow’s opening terms as agreed parameters.

Putin himself for the hardest issues

For a Zelenskyy-level summit, Kyiv has emphasized that Putin—not only lower-level Russian officials—would need to be at the table. In the Türkiye talks context, Zelenskyy was reported to insist on meeting Putin face-to-face rather than substituting talks with Russian officials .

Territory is one reason. Zelenskyy has said territorial agreements are impossible without direct contact with Putin, while also saying Ukraine is open to formats involving Russia and the United States and wants Europe present at some stage because security guarantees are tied to the EU and a wider “Coalition of the Willing” .

Security guarantees and a serious format

Ukraine’s broader requirement is that talks must not merely pause the war; they must create a framework that can end it and protect Ukraine afterward. Zelenskyy has described the task as finding a concrete format for dialogue, ending the war, and ensuring reliable security guarantees . That is why Kyiv links any meeting with questions of who participates, what is on the agenda, and whether partners are involved in guarantees .

Bottom line

Before Zelenskyy holds direct substantive talks with Putin, Ukraine’s preferred conditions are:

• a full, real ceasefire—often framed as an unconditional 30-day truce in the 2025 diplomatic push ;
• no requirement that Ukraine accept Russia’s “ultimatum” terms in advance ;
• Putin’s personal participation for leader-level talks and especially territorial decisions ;
• a negotiating format that includes or leads to credible security guarantees, with U.S. and European roles where needed .

The important caveat is that Zelenskyy has at times signaled readiness to meet even before all those conditions are fulfilled if the meeting itself could secure a ceasefire and move the war toward an end .

That is why “ceasefire first” remains the clearest answer. Ukraine has continued to distinguish short, symbolic pauses from a longer halt to hostilities; in April 2026, after Putin floated a temporary Victory Day truce, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted a long-term ceasefire rather than only a brief pause around a parade .

The caveat: Zelenskyy has not made it an absolute bar in every circumstance

Kyiv has sometimes treated direct leader-level talks as a way to obtain or lock in a truce, not only as a reward after a truce is already in place. After Putin proposed talks in Türkiye, Zelenskyy said he would be there to meet Putin personally while still hoping for a ceasefire . Some reporting at the time noted it was unclear whether he was making attendance strictly conditional on the ceasefire starting first .

Later, Zelenskyy was reported as saying Ukraine was ready to sit down for talks even without the previously discussed preconditions of a ceasefire or security guarantees . More recently, he said Ukraine had long been ready for meetings and that the practical task was to define the format, end the war, and guarantee security . So the better reading is: Ukraine strongly wants a ceasefire first, but may accept a meeting if the format can realistically stop the fighting.

No talks built around a Russian “ultimatum”

Another condition is that Ukraine would not enter talks on the basis of Russian demands it considers an ultimatum. In June 2025, Zelenskyy rejected a Russian ceasefire proposal as an “ultimatum” and again called for face-to-face talks with Putin to break the deadlock . That distinction matters: Kyiv has shown willingness to talk, but not to treat Moscow’s opening terms as agreed parameters.

Putin himself for the hardest issues

For a Zelenskyy-level summit, Kyiv has emphasized that Putin—not only lower-level Russian officials—would need to be at the table. In the Türkiye talks context, Zelenskyy was reported to insist on meeting Putin face-to-face rather than substituting talks with Russian officials .

Territory is one reason. Zelenskyy has said territorial agreements are impossible without direct contact with Putin, while also saying Ukraine is open to formats involving Russia and the United States and wants Europe present at some stage because security guarantees are tied to the EU and a wider “Coalition of the Willing” .

Security guarantees and a serious format

Ukraine’s broader requirement is that talks must not merely pause the war; they must create a framework that can end it and protect Ukraine afterward. Zelenskyy has described the task as finding a concrete format for dialogue, ending the war, and ensuring reliable security guarantees . That is why Kyiv links any meeting with questions of who participates, what is on the agenda, and whether partners are involved in guarantees .

Bottom line

Before Zelenskyy holds direct substantive talks with Putin, Ukraine’s preferred conditions are:

• a full, real ceasefire—often framed as an unconditional 30-day truce in the 2025 diplomatic push ;
• no requirement that Ukraine accept Russia’s “ultimatum” terms in advance ;
• Putin’s personal participation for leader-level talks and especially territorial decisions ;
• a negotiating format that includes or leads to credible security guarantees, with U.S. and European roles where needed .

The important caveat is that Zelenskyy has at times signaled readiness to meet even before all those conditions are fulfilled if the meeting itself could secure a ceasefire and move the war toward an end .