Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that there has been no significant advancement towards peace following discussions in the United States, attributing this stagnation to Russia’s lack of willingness for diplomacy.
This assessment came after a report from the Ukrainian negotiation team, which recently returned from talks in the U.S.
“Unfortunately, there is currently no real movement; Russia is not interested in peace,” Zelensky emphasized.
He also highlighted the necessity for Ukraine and its allies to persist in diplomatic efforts to compel Russia into genuine negotiations.
“It is crucial for us in Ukraine, as well as for the United States, Europeans, and other global actors, to do everything possible to engage the Russians in diplomacy,” the Ukrainian leader remarked.
Zelensky cautioned that the Kremlin might exploit the negotiation process to buy time and gather additional resources.
“Peace must be reliable—that is our goal, and it will be achieved. We will respond to attacks, without fail,” he concluded.
For context, the discussions between Ukraine and the U.S. took place over the weekend of March 21 and 22 in Florida.
On the first day of talks, U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff noted that both parties are gradually narrowing down contentious issues for a potential peace agreement, focusing on security and stability matters.
Ukrainian President Zelensky expressed disappointment over the lack of progress in peace negotiations with Russia, following talks in the U.S. He emphasized the need for continued diplomatic efforts to engage Russia in meaningful discussions.