Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that potential upcoming meetings aimed at ending the war may take place in the United States of America. According to him, new rounds of negotiations are planned in the near future, but many aspects remain confidential at this time.
This is reported by Kyiv24
“I expect the negotiation team in Kyiv for a full report; many aspects cannot be discussed over the phone. From what can be said already, the next meetings are planned soon. Likely in America,” he stated in his video address.
Key Discussion Topics and Ukraine’s Position
Zelensky did not specify the composition or format of the upcoming negotiations, but emphasized that Ukraine is open to all working formats capable of genuinely bringing about peace, making it durable, and removing Russia’s desire to continue aggression. The President underscored the importance of ensuring that the end of the war does not become a reward for the Russian Federation’s aggression, as this is one of the main principles for ensuring true security for Ukraine.
Progress of Negotiations and Positions of the Parties
On February 4–5, another round of trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia, and the USA took place in Abu Dhabi (UAE), during which the parties reached an agreement on the exchange of prisoners of war — the first exchange in the last five months. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff characterized the discussions as “constructive and focused on how to create conditions for lasting peace.” He also noted that the delegations agreed to continue trilateral negotiations in the coming weeks, but did not specify the exact location of the next meeting.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated after the first day of negotiations that the number of open questions between Ukraine and Russia regarding the peace agreement had decreased, but the most challenging issues remain unresolved. One of these is the territorial question: Russia insists on the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from part of the Donetsk region that its troops have not yet occupied.
The first trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, the USA, and Russia since the beginning of the full-scale war took place on January 23–24, also in Abu Dhabi. The next stage was planned for February 1 but was postponed to February 4–5.
On January 25, during a visit to Vilnius, Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Kyiv’s unwavering position on territorial integrity and emphasized that all parties must be ready for compromises. The President also reported that bilateral security guarantees from the USA are already “100% ready,” and Kyiv is awaiting their signing.
In December of last year, Zelensky noted that decisions regarding possible territorial compromises should be made by the Ukrainian people — either through elections or by referendum.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin insists on its own maximalist goals and rejects Western security guarantees for Ukraine, as previously noted by ISW analysts.