Foreign Minister: Zelensky prepared for direct summit with Putin on territorial disputes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is prepared to meet personally with Vladimir Putin to discuss two critical pillars of the ongoing peace negotiations: the status of occupied territories and the future control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha disclosed the President's stance in a recent interview with European Pravda. He emphasized that these sensitive issues remain the primary friction points in the current diplomatic process.
"The President is ready to meet with Putin specifically to resolve these two outstanding matters," Sybiha stated. The minister noted that direct leadership-level dialogue is now required to break the impasse.
Sybiha dismissed the need for a separate meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He argued that existing negotiation teams, which already include foreign ministry officials, are sufficient for technical discussions.
"We must avoid creating redundant diplomatic channels. Additional tracks are currently unnecessary and counterproductive to the primary negotiation flow," Sybiha explained.
The Ukrainian diplomat further revealed that negotiating teams have already conducted concrete discussions regarding ceasefire parameters. These include specific monitoring procedures and verification mechanisms for a potential armistice.
The announcement follows President Zelensky’s statement on January 26, confirming that a trilateral meeting involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia is scheduled for Sunday, February 1.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
