Ukrainian delegation to visit US for peace talks on Dec. 19-20, Zelensky says
Ukrainian delegates are on their way to the U.S. to discuss peace efforts with their American counterparts on Dec. 19 and 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The discussions will concern the 20-point peace plan, security guarantees, reconstruction, and all relevant steps and documents, Zelensky told journalists. European officials may also be present at the meetings, he added.
The news comes amid a renewed U.S.-led push to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow, even as the two warring sides remain far apart on key issues.
"We all know Russia's position. They want total control over Donbas, and now they want us to withdraw from Donbas," Zelensky said.
"Our position is also clear: we are not ready to take such steps, and the United States is seeking a compromise."
The president previously voiced concerns about a U.S.-proposed plan for creating a "demilitarized zone" in Donbas — an eastern region comprising almost fully occupied Luhansk Oblast and partially occupied Donetsk Oblast — with Ukrainian forces withdrawing from the area.
According to Zelensky, Kyiv and the U.S. are also discussing post-war security guarantees for Ukraine, which would be legally binding and work on a similar principle as NATO's Article 5.
The president emphasized the need to strengthen the Ukrainian military and to utilize immobilized Russian assets to fund Ukraine's reconstruction and defense.
"The U.S. said it is ready to help, although I do not yet have details," Zelensky said regarding the Russian assets.
"We are talking about around 200 billion euros (in Russian assets) within the European Union," he noted, while en route to an EU summit in Brussels, where the use of the Russian assets will be on the agenda.
"Without it, Ukraine will face serious problems."
The Kremlin also confirmed a new round of talks between Russia and the U.S.
The meeting's goal will be to "obtain information about the results the U.S. achieved in talks with Europe and Ukraine," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian media.
