President Zelensky affirmed Ukraine’s readiness to hold peace talks in neutral venues, excluding Russia and Belarus. The remark came during an NBC interview recorded in Qatar.
Ukraine says it will not become the party blocking further peace talks, and is ready to hold negotiations at any venue convenient for the parties, except for Russia and Belarus.
These words were spoken during an interview with NBC News, recorded in Qatar, and took place on Saturday, March 28, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said.
“We will never be the side that blocks (peace talks), delays or postpones them, etc. And therefore we are ready to meet anywhere, except Russia and Belarus – they are allies with each other, and they are our enemies.”
– Volodymyr Zelensky
Context of negotiations and venues
According to the president, the new conflict in the Middle East has further slowed diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
The president also said that the U.S. mediation team led by special envoy Steve Vitkoff and the White House’s son-in-law Jared Kushner would not be able to conduct negotiations in a neutral location outside the United States during the war against Iran.
Zelensky said that the American side had proposed holding trilateral talks in the United States, but the Russian side refused, although the Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev traveled to Florida for preliminary meetings with American counterparts.
The president also proposed Turkey or Switzerland as possible venues for future negotiations.
According to Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation and secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, after the Florida talks on March 21–22 there is progress in aligning positions and narrowing the circle of unresolved issues.
In conclusion, Ukraine reiterates its readiness for peaceful talks under conditions convenient for the parties, but emphasizes the need for the country’s security and sovereignty.