Ukraine seeks timeline for next round of Russia diplomatic negotiations

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that his country’s negotiators are seeking clear dates for their upcoming discussions with Russia in the United States. The talks, which were previously paused due to the ongoing US-Israeli conflict in Iran, are expected to resume on Saturday.

Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of establishing a specific timeframe for the negotiations, stating that “clear dates – at least approximate ones” would be beneficial. He attributed the postponement of the talks to the current situation in the Middle East, where Russia is involved in the conflict.

The Ukrainian president’s comments come as his country’s negotiators prepare to meet with US officials on Saturday to discuss a potential agreement to end the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. The negotiations have been stalled since previous rounds in Geneva and Abu Dhabi failed to yield a breakthrough.

A sticking point in the talks has been territory, with Russia seeking to secure control over 20% of the eastern region of Donetsk that Ukrainian forces have not captured. Ukraine has refused this demand, instead calling for robust security guarantees from its Western allies to prevent further Russian aggression.

In a social media post on Thursday, Zelenskyy expressed his willingness to continue negotiations and stated that his country is working to ensure that the talks are substantive. A senior Kremlin official also confirmed that a new round of US-mediated negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv will likely take place soon.

Meanwhile, European countries have sought to reassure Ukraine that they remain committed to supporting its efforts to end the war. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated this week that his country’s attention remains focused on Ukraine, despite the ongoing conflict in Iran.

Source: Al Jazeera