President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hopes that the next round of trilateral negotiations will take place in February, and, in his opinion, it is he who can be productive.
Points of attention
- President Zelenskyy aims for a productive next round of trilateral negotiations to end the war with dignity.
- The leadership format can play a decisive role in the negotiation process, with a focus on resolving humanitarian issues like prisoner exchanges.
Zelenskyy hopes for the next productive round of negotiations
The head of state announced this following the report of the Ukrainian negotiating team.
There was a detailed report from our negotiating team on the results of the meetings in Switzerland. We discussed, in particular, aspects that were impossible to voice over the phone. I am grateful to the team for their clear work within the framework of the directives, as well as for their patience in all the conversations with the Russian side, which were far from always simple and adequate. It is important that the representatives of the President of the United States are also doing everything to ensure that the negotiations are constructive. And Ukraine fully supports them in this: our contribution is always only constructive.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
In his opinion, real opportunities to end the war with dignity remain, and the ability of the world to put pressure on the aggressor can help significantly so that a reliable peace replaces the war.
We hope that in the near future, in February, we will be able to organize another round of negotiations and that this round can be truly productive.
He noted that Ukrainian answers to the most difficult questions on the eve of the next meeting are already ready. According to Zelensky, the priorities for the negotiating team for the next meeting in the trilateral format and with the United States have been determined.
We are also working to ensure that leaders are ready to meet and resolve issues that have not yet been resolved at the team level. The leadership format may be decisive in many ways, and Ukraine is ready for such a format. The team must also provide conditions for progress on humanitarian issues. Exchanges of prisoners of war must continue. We expect that the exchange will become possible in the near future.
He separately noted the role of European partners. In his opinion, Europe's role in the negotiation process should grow.
