Zelenskyy on peace talks: First unconditional ceasefire, then difficult issues
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The first point in future peace talks should be an agreement on an unconditional ceasefire. And only after that - other issues, including territorial ones, according to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Any negotiations are a fragile ability to end the war, especially if it concerns the Russians, who are still showing their unwillingness to end the war. The first step is still an unconditional ceasefire, even if there are some ways to get there - such as silence in the sky, silence at sea, but it will still lead to silence on the entire front,” he said.
According to the President, these are the right steps if we really want to end the war with a just peace, and then we will move on to other issues.
“I am sure that territorial issues will be raised among them. For us, the red line is the recognition of the Ukrainian temporarily occupied territories as Russian. We will not go for it,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
In his opinion, as for the territories, it will be one of “such sensitive and complex issues in the upcoming negotiations.”
Ceasefire in Ukraine
On March 11, the United States and Ukraine agreed to a 30-day ceasefire in Saudi Arabia. The US also resumed arms supplies to Ukraine and intelligence sharing.
The Kremlin first studied everything said at the talks between the American and Ukrainian sides, and later Vladimir Putin supported US President Donald Trump's initiative to call a truce but did not forget to mention some nuances.
On March 18, Trump and Putin spoke, during which Putin agreed to a mutual refusal to strike energy facilities for 30 days. However, on the night of March 19, Russia launched drones and missiles into Ukraine, in particular, attacking the Ukrainian Railways power system in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
