Zelenskyy names toughest issue standing between war and peace
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine cannot agree on any terms with Russia until a full ceasefire is in place, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said following his talks with US President Donald Trump.
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, Zelenskyy noted that the most difficult topic in potential peace negotiations remains the question of territories.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Kyiv will not enter into any agreements with Moscow until a complete ceasefire is achieved. He reminded that Russia initially sought to occupy the entire territory of Ukraine and said that the question of territory remains the most complex issue on the path to peace.
Russia's position on ceasefire
Moscow has repeatedly rejected the idea of a ceasefire without preconditions, claiming that such a move would only allow the West to rearm Ukraine and conduct new mobilization efforts. Kyiv, however, continues to insist on an unconditional and comprehensive truce as a prerequisite for genuine peace negotiations.
During earlier talks in Istanbul, the Russian delegation reportedly demanded that Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, terms Ukraine considers entirely unacceptable.
The United States first put forward the proposal for an unconditional ceasefire.
