Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed concerns regarding the nature of communication in ongoing peace negotiations with Russia, describing many representatives from the Russian side as mere “text messages”. He emphasized that this dynamic reduces discussions to a mere exchange of written statements rather than meaningful dialogue.
Zelensky articulated that for the negotiations to reflect the views of ordinary citizens, it is essential to have individuals present who possess the authority to make decisions. He noted that while trilateral meetings involving Ukraine, the United States, and Russia include state representatives, the Russian delegation often resorts to indirect communication with President Vladimir Putin, hindering resolution efforts.
“In the case of Russia, many of them are just text messages. Messages from Russia are received and then transmitted. They are like modern letters from Putin to us and from us back to Putin,” Zelensky explained.
He concluded that a human element in these discussions can only emerge if the Russian representatives have a mandate to make decisions, which would facilitate negotiations regarding exchanges.
Zelensky underscored the significance of humanitarian issues in the talks, but raised doubts about the feasibility of genuine dialogue, stating, “The Russians are killers to us. How can we speak simply as people?”
Since the beginning of this year, three rounds of direct negotiations have taken place between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. While some issues, such as ceasefire and monitoring, have seen progress, the territorial disputes concerning the Donbas region remain unresolved.
The fourth round of talks is anticipated to occur on March 4-5, with Bloomberg reporting that this meeting could be pivotal for reaching a peace agreement. Sources indicate that Russia is prepared to sign a memorandum for peace if Ukraine agrees to withdraw its troops from Donbas. This would pave the way for a summit of the three countries’ leaders to confirm the agreement and initiate mutual troop withdrawal.
In return, Russia is reportedly willing to withdraw its forces from the Sumy, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, as well as relinquish claims on parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions controlled by Ukraine.
As the timeline for ending the conflict approaches, Reuters previously reported that the United States and Ukraine have discussed the possibility of a peace agreement with Russia as early as March. Recently, President Zelensky had a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, during which Trump expressed a desire to conclude the war by the end of March.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized the nature of Russian communication in peace talks, calling for more direct representation. As negotiations continue, significant issues remain unresolved, particularly regarding territorial disputes in Donbas.