Zelenskyy open to face-to-face talks with Putin, says Ukraine’s FM

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prepared to hold a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss territorial issues and the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukraine’s foreign minister has said.

Andrii Sybiha stressed that the territorial question and control over the Zaporizhzhia plant remain the most difficult elements of the peace process, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media.

“It is precisely to resolve these issues that the president is ready to meet with Putin and discuss them directly,” Sybiha said.

He added that he currently sees no need for a separate meeting with Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, stressing that Ukraine does not want to create parallel negotiation channels.

“We should not be creating parallel tracks. There are established negotiating teams, which include representatives of the foreign ministry,” Sybiha said. “Creating additional tracks at this moment would be untimely and unnecessary.”

According to the foreign minister, the negotiating teams have already held discussions on the parameters of a possible ceasefire, as well as mechanisms for monitoring or verifying any truce.

On January 26, Zelenskyy said a new round of talks between negotiating teams from Ukraine, the United States and Russia is being prepared for this week, provisionally scheduled for Sunday, February 1.

Speaking in his nightly address, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian officials had briefed him on trilateral meetings held in the United Arab Emirates on January 23–24, where delegations discussed primarily military-related issues, including steps towards ending the war and mechanisms for monitoring and control.

He said a number of issues still require preparation ahead of the next meeting and expressed hope that the talks could be brought forward.

Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine remains committed to peace, blaming Russia for prolonging the war, and warned against Moscow using negotiations to delay additional international pressure. He urged Ukraine’s partners not to ease diplomatic pressure on Russia without tangible results.

By Aghakazim Guliyev