Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported a constructive dialogue with representatives of former U.S. President Donald Trump — Stephen Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Senator Lindsey Graham and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also participated in the discussions. During these negotiations, the parties focused on finding solutions to ensure peace and security guarantees for Ukraine.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Security Guarantees and the Future of Negotiations
Zelensky emphasized the value of support from the U.S. and stressed the importance of efforts aimed at achieving a dignified peace. According to him, the Ukrainian and American teams agreed to maintain constant contact in the coming days to further strengthen the security guarantees document between Ukraine and the U.S. The President believes that such agreements could serve as a foundation for ending the war on reliable terms.
“I am grateful to everyone for their work in finding the right solutions, and Ukraine appreciates all of America’s efforts aimed at establishing a dignified peace. We agreed that our teams will remain in constant contact in the coming days to strengthen the security guarantees document between Ukraine and the U.S.,” he wrote in a Telegram message.
Russia’s Position and Washington’s Reaction
Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia is making new demands regarding Donbas, specifically requiring the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the region within two months. The President emphasized Ukraine’s readiness for compromise in the form of a “ceasefire where we stand.”
Russian Federation presidential aide Yuri Ushakov stated that Russia is urging the U.S. to pressure Ukraine to fulfill the agreements reached between the U.S. and Russian presidents in Anchorage last August. According to Ushakov, the U.S. allegedly proposed a number of interesting and useful ideas for a peaceful settlement, but they have not yet been implemented. However, the details of these proposals remain unknown.
Russian officials continue to mention the so-called “spirit of Anchorage,” hinting at possible agreements between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, which they claim are being stalled by the Ukrainian side. This primarily concerns the transfer of all of Donbas under Russian control, which Ukraine categorically opposes.
In an interview with Reuters, Zelensky stated that the U.S. set a condition: security guarantees are only possible after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied this information, calling such statements false. In response, Zelensky noted that he had revealed only “a smaller part of the iceberg.”
Despite the difficulties, the President noted that the trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia regarding the cessation of the war have not reached a deadlock. At the same time, talks that took place earlier this year were postponed in March due to the escalation of the situation in the Middle East.