President Zelensky said talks with Russia could restart and that he would let Moscow settle the specific format, Huanqiu reported. A Kremlin spokesman replied that Russia is willing to negotiate with Europe, but the other side must change its stance.

Both statements keep the door open while pushing the initiative onto each other—closer to a diplomatic tug-of-war. Sparring over format, agenda and mediators looks like a prelude to any real dialogue.

Some see the Middle East truce giving momentum to mediation elsewhere. But the war in Ukraine turns on sharp core issues—territory and security guarantees—so one deal's model is hard to transplant.

This paper watches the actual composition and progress of the table rather than rhetoric. A truce's effectiveness is measured by concrete agreements on line management, verification and humanitarian corridors.