Negotiations Between Ukraine and the U.S. Discussed by Zelenskiy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shared in an interview published on Monday that discussions with the United States regarding an end to Russia’s aggression have been “constructive.” However, he noted that certain “questions” about Europe’s stance remain unresolved and require further dialogue.
Zelenskiy spent the day in London, aiming to negotiate with European leaders who aren’t directly involved in the U.S.-led peace efforts concerning Russia and Ukraine. Reports mention that the Trump administration presented a 28-point peace plan last November, which has since been cut to 20 points. The plan includes Ukraine agreeing to relinquish territory it has lost and Russia’s commitment not to continue invading other nations.
Zelenskiy’s remarks indicated that European leaders might be hindering Ukraine’s ability to fully embrace the U.S. proposal with assurance. “We are discussing matters with the United States. It’s a constructive process,” he mentioned. Yet, he also emphasized the necessity of engaging Europe regarding Ukraine’s potential EU membership as part of its security framework.
“Once we have that, we can share a unified vision,” he added, suggesting his willingness to travel to the U.S. for a meeting if the president was amenable.
He stressed that security remains a fundamental concern that Ukraine must address with its allies, particularly European nations. The backdrop of this issue is rooted in Russia’s invasion, which started with the annexation of Crimea in 2014. This invasion partly stemmed from European countries not following through on their assurances to safeguard Ukraine, as outlined in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994. Under this agreement, Ukraine agreed to dismantle its nuclear arsenal in exchange for “security guarantees,” which, unfortunately, went unfulfilled.
He also pointed out that resolving the situation in the Donbass region remains a significant concern in ongoing negotiations. “The U.S., Russia, and Ukraine have their perspectives, but there’s a lack of consensus regarding Donbass,” he said.
His comments followed President Trump, who expressed disappointment that Zelenskiy hadn’t reviewed the latest draft of the peace agreement. “People seem to like it,” Trump noted about the U.S.-led proposal, “but he doesn’t.” He added that while Russia is on board, he questioned Zelenskiy’s reluctance to engage with the proposal.
Rustem Umerov, the chief negotiator for Ukraine, seemingly responded to Trump’s feedback without denying that Zelenskiy hadn’t examined the draft. He noted that the primary objective for the Ukrainian team was to gather comprehensive information from the U.S. about discussions that took place in Moscow and the details of the current proposal for thorough discussions with Zelenskiy.
Zelenskiy reiterated this after posting a video on social media, stating his intent for an agreement that would require Russia to compensate for the extensive devastation it has wrought upon Ukrainian towns during its invasion.
He had lengthy discussions on Saturday with Trump’s chief negotiator, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law. “We tackled numerous aspects and examined key elements to bring an end to the violence and mitigate the risk of a fresh full-scale invasion by Russia—a risk we know has never been taken lightly,” Zelenskiy said.
He extended gratitude towards Trump for his individual efforts, asserting that “Ukraine is resolute in continuing to engage sincerely with the U.S. in pursuit of genuine peace.”
Subsequently, Witkoff and Kushner returned from Moscow, having met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. A spokesman for Putin, Dmitry Peskov, mentioned that while they are aware of the discussions, he has repeatedly refrained from disclosing the demands Russia holds in this dialogue. Instead, he insisted that the Russian team must fully grasp Ukraine’s demands before agreeing to the latest talks.
Over the weekend, Russia escalated its assaults on Ukrainian regions, even while verbalizing openness to a potential peace accord. Ukraine’s air force reported that from Friday to Saturday, there was a barrage of over 653 drones and 51 missiles targeting various locations, including Kyiv and Lviv, many of which aimed at crippling Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure—just as the country faces its coldest season.
On Monday, Russian news agency TASS also conveyed that Russia had intensified its attacks in Donetsk over the past day, claiming to have “liberated” several towns in the area.
