Zelenskyy on organising talks with Russia: Feels like we are mediators, not party to war
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is holding daily discussions with the US side and working to organise trilateral meetings with Russia, but difficulties over the location of such talks are making agreements hard to reach.
Source: Zelenskyy on the national joint 24/7 newscast on 27 March, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine
Quote: "We speak with the US side every day. Our negotiating team is in contact with their counterparts. However, we still face this difficulty. It feels as though we are acting as mediators in this process, rather than being a party to the war."
Details: Zelenskyy said that Ukraine supports holding trilateral meetings and is ready for talks in any country. Meanwhile, the US side can only host meetings within the US, while Russia is willing to meet anywhere except the US.
He also noted that due to the war in the Middle East and tensions involving Iran, the US team is currently not travelling abroad for security reasons.
"We are working to ensure that meetings take place – somewhere in Europe, Türkiye, Switzerland, anywhere. We are even ready for the Middle East," the president added.
Background:
- On 19 March, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the pause in talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia is temporary and could end once all the sides have aligned their schedules, primarily the Americans.
- On 21-22 March, Ukraine held talks with the US in Miami on ending the war. US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff described the discussions as constructive in terms of narrowing the range of unresolved issues.
- Zelenskyy also said Ukraine sees no willingness on Russia's part to end the war and called for increased pressure on Moscow, while the US believes Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is seeking a way to end it, highlighting a difference in views between the two sides.
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