Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv is “ready to work productively for peace” after talks in Kyiv on 18 August with U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg, according to statements released following the meeting. Zelenskiy added that “Russia can only be forced into peace through strength,” underscoring that any settlement must be reached from a position of military and diplomatic leverage. No further details of possible negotiating frameworks or timelines were disclosed.