Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that the next stage of negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation may occur on February 17 or 18 in the United States of America. However, as the head of state noted, Moscow has not yet confirmed its participation in these talks.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Free Economic Zone in Donbas: Skepticism from Both Sides
According to the agency, the upcoming meeting will discuss, among other things, the U.S. proposal to create a free economic zone in Donbas, which would serve as a buffer between the conflicting parties. Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized that both sides are skeptical about this initiative.
“Neither side is enthusiastic about the idea of a free economic zone – neither the Russians nor us,” Zelensky said in a phone interview in Kyiv on Tuesday. “We have different views on this. And the agreements were such – let’s return to the next meeting with a vision of what this could look like.”
Progress of Previous Negotiations and the U.S. Position
Meetings between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations, mediated by the U.S., took place on January 23-24, as well as on February 4 and 5 in Abu Dhabi (UAE). However, no significant breakthrough regarding the cessation of hostilities has been achieved. During the negotiations on February 5, an agreement was reached on the exchange of prisoners of war – the first such step in the last five months.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff described the discussions that took place in early February as constructive and aimed at creating conditions for lasting peace. The issue of a ceasefire was also raised during these meetings.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that after the negotiations on February 4, the list of outstanding issues between Ukraine and Russia regarding the peace agreement had been reduced. At the same time, he noted that the most complex issues, particularly territorial ones, remain unresolved, which, as Rubio mentioned earlier, are still at the center of discussions.