Zelenskyy rules out "clinging to power" ahead of possible elections

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told journalists before his flight to Berlin for talks with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on a “peace plan” that he does not cling to power and that Ukraine must be prepared for any development if elections are held, a Ukrainian media outlet writes.

"I am not clinging to power, and if there are elections, we must be prepared for any developments, Zelenskyy said.

He stressed that if current peace negotiations fail, Ukraine must “pull itself together” and find another path.

"A peace plan will never satisfy everyone and will inevitably require compromises. Ukraine’s primary goal has been NATO membership, which would provide real security guarantees, but European partners and the United States did not support it," he regretted.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov suggested that Zelenskyy’s comments on elections were made under pressure from Washington.

Earlier today, Associated Press reported on the arrival of US President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Berlin, where talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to take place.

The American officials were spotted in central Berlin ahead of the planned meeting, which, according to earlier reports, is scheduled for December 15.

AP indicates that during the talks, the US side intends to press Ukraine to agree to the terms of a proposed peace plan aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Earlier, President Zelenskyy said that a series of meetings involving Ukrainian, American, and European officials would take place in Berlin in the coming days.

The meetings aim to advance a U.S.-proposed peace framework to end Russia's nearly four-year war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy, in a December 13 address, described the opportunity for a "political agreement" as having a "significant chance," while emphasising the need for robust security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.

By Khagan Isayev