Zelensky Says U.S. Has Proposed a New Format for Peace Talks
Ukraine to decide after assessing bilateral talks with Washington; Russia and Europe expected to be involved
Ukraine, PUREWILAYAH.COM — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the United States has proposed a new framework for peace negotiations with Russia, as diplomatic efforts to end the war intensify.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said Ukraine will decide whether to accept the proposed format after evaluating the outcome of renewed bilateral talks with U.S. negotiators, which resumed on Friday.
According to Zelenskyy, Washington has indicated it will also hold separate talks with Russian representatives.
“As far as I understand, they have proposed the following format: Ukraine, the United States, Russia—and since representatives from Europe are also present, Europe will likely be involved as well,” he said.
Diplomatic Contacts Intensify as Direct Talks Remain Frozen
U.S. negotiators were expected to meet Russian government officials on Saturday in Florida. Meanwhile, Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian delegation, said Ukrainian and European representatives held talks with their American counterparts in the United States on Friday and agreed to resume contacts soon.
Ukraine and Russia have not held direct negotiations since July, but U.S.-backed shuttle diplomacy aimed at ending Russia’s nearly four-year war against Ukraine has intensified in recent weeks.
Zelensky Rejects Elections in Russian-Controlled Areas
In another part of his remarks, Zelenskyy rejected the possibility of holding elections in Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine, stressing that security conditions must be fully guaranteed for any electoral process to take place.
He also described the situation in the southern port region of Odesa as increasingly difficult, saying Russia has intensified attacks aimed at blocking Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea.
Zelenskyy warned that these actions underscore Moscow’s continued military pressure even as diplomatic efforts are being explored. (PW)