NewKerala.com

Zelensky's Cautious Hope: Why Ukraine-US-Russia Talks Could Bring Prisoners Home

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed general support for a proposed trilateral meeting involving the US and Russia. He is cautiously optimistic, pointing to past negotiations that successfully brought captured soldiers and civilians home. However, he acknowledges that the most difficult issues, like territorial control, remain completely unresolved. The proposal comes as US officials report significant progress on a draft peace plan following talks in Berlin.

Key Points: Zelensky Voices Cautious Optimism on Proposed Ukraine-US-Russia Talks

  • Zelensky supports the US-proposed trilateral meeting involving national security advisors from Ukraine, US, and Russia
  • He cites past talks in Türkiye that successfully led to prisoner and civilian exchanges
  • Major unresolved issues include territorial control and funding for Ukraine's reconstruction
  • US officials report 90% consensus on a draft peace plan after recent Berlin talks
2 min read

Zelensky voices cautious optimism on proposed Ukraine-US-Russia talks

Ukrainian President Zelensky supports proposed trilateral talks, citing past success in prisoner exchanges while noting major unresolved issues like territory remain.

"I am very glad that we had exchanges. Our people, our military, primarily prisoners, returned home. - Volodymyr Zelensky"

Kyiv, Dec 21

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he generally supports the idea of a trilateral meeting involving the national security advisors of Ukraine, the United States and Russia, expressing cautious optimism about the prospect of such a meeting.

Zelensky said the proposal was put forward by the United States and conveyed to him by Ukraine's chief peace negotiator, Rustem Umerov, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

Zelensky said that he was not sure that the meeting would bring something new, but noted that the result of previous talks in Türkiye was the return of captured soldiers and civilians.

"I am very glad that we had exchanges. Our people, our military, primarily prisoners, returned home. And civilians. And therefore we need to take such steps," he said.

Zelensky added that "if the results are exchanges or some other agreements, I cannot be against it, then we support the proposal of the United States of America. Let's see how it goes."

He noted, however, that the most difficult issues in the ongoing peace process remain unresolved, including territorial issues, control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and funding for Ukraine's reconstruction.

US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to represent the US side, while the Russian delegation is expected to include Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, said the report.

Ukrainian National Security Advisor Rustem Umerov is also expected to meet with the US delegation separately in Miami or another location in the United States.

The US, European and Ukrainian officials have reached consensus or significantly closed gaps on 90 per cent of their differences on a 20-point US draft peace plan during the Berlin talks last weekend, officials with the Trump administration said.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Cautious optimism is the right approach. We've seen how these talks can yield results for humanitarian issues like prisoner exchanges. But the core territorial issues remain a massive hurdle. Hope they can build some trust first. 🙏
R
Rohit P
The involvement of Trump's son-in-law and special envoy is interesting. US foreign policy seems so personality-driven now. Does this mean a real shift, or just optics? India has to navigate these changing global equations carefully.
S
Sarah B
Reading this from Delhi. The economic fallout from this war hits us all - oil prices, food security. If talks can even partially de-escalate, it's good for the global south. But Zelensky is right to be cautious. Russia's track record isn't great.
V
Vikram M
The report says 90% consensus on a US draft? That seems surprisingly high. If true, maybe there is a genuine path forward. The Zaporizhzhia plant issue is terrifying though – a nuclear accident would be a disaster for the whole region, including ours.
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, I'm skeptical. Talks for the sake of talks while the ground situation remains frozen helps no one. Ukraine's sovereignty is non-negotiable. Any plan that doesn't address that clearly is just kicking the can down the road. Hope I'm wrong.
A
Ananya R

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50