KYIV – President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday that Ukraine is prepared to engage in a three-sided diplomatic format involving the United States and Russia. The endorsement comes as U.S. mediators ramp up efforts to broker a breakthrough in the ongoing conflict.
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The United States has proposed elevating negotiations to the level of national security advisers from all three nations. Zelenskyy confirmed that top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov briefed him on these discussions following recent meetings with U.S. officials.
Zelenskyy’s support for this format is contingent on two primary objectives:
- Prisoner Exchanges: Facilitating the immediate return of prisoners of war.
- Leadership Summits: Using the adviser-level talks as a stepping stone to organize a formal meeting between heads of state.
Red Lines: Territory and Sovereignty
Despite the openness to dialogue, Zelenskyy established firm boundaries regarding Ukraine’s territorial integrity, particularly in the industrial Donbas region.
- The Contact Line: Ukraine insists that the current frontlines remain the boundary, rejecting any demands to cede territory currently under Ukrainian control.
- Administrative Control: “It is important for us that Ukrainian authorities retain control over that part of Donbas that we control now,” Zelenskyy stated, calling the issue a “matter of principle.”
Economic Recovery and the “Free Zone”
The talks have also touched on post-war reconstruction. While the U.S. has proposed the creation of a “free economic zone” in eastern Ukraine to stimulate recovery, Zelenskyy emphasized that such a move would not be imposed from the outside. He maintained that any decisions regarding Ukraine’s resources or economic status must be “decided by the people of Ukraine.”
Seeking “Stable and Lasting Peace”
The President clarified that Ukraine is not looking for a temporary or “vague” truce. He noted that his administration is meticulously reviewing every point of the U.S. proposal to ensure the result is a stable peace backed by reliable security guarantees, rather than a mere division of land.
