Zelenskyy Outlined Red Lines in Negotiations with Russia

U.S. Special Presidential Representative Steve Witkoff handed Russian dictator Vladimir Putin a document outlining the American side’s proposals for resolving the war in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made public his position on this document and the key parameters for negotiations.

The proposals are intended as material for discussion between the parties, not a final plan for approval by the Kremlin, the president noted. For Ukraine, preserving its army and rejecting neutrality remain matters of principle, and its security guarantees cannot be dictated by the Russian side. 

“The document contains various proposals from the American side. We believe that the main points are that we cannot discuss the neutrality of our state, and we cannot discuss restrictions on the Ukrainian army,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

At the same time, the issue of territories has been defined as a “red line” that Ukraine is prepared to discuss exclusively at the level of heads of state, while technical working groups are to work out the details of security guarantees with the participation of the U.S. and Europe.

“The Americans have long been raising the issue of territorial exchanges; they call it ‘land swaps.’ There are also other formats and proposals for dialogue. Everyone must understand: first, we are not trading anything for anything. We are ready to discuss. If it’s a territorial issue, then at the level of heads of state. Other issues—at the level of technical working groups. So, in November, we can discuss all of this… If (the discussion—ed.) concerns the territorial issue, then it should take place at the leadership level. Other issues should be addressed at the technical working group level. What else is there? Security guarantees. “If it’s a NATO issue—and, of course, this issue appears in the relevant documents and in new proposals—the NATO issue comes up. We’re discussing security guarantees, and someone must provide guarantees that Russia will not launch a new aggression,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

Source: Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with TSN.

 

Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, stated that during a meeting with U.S. representative Steve Witkoff, the Russian leader did not hand over any documents containing proposals for resolving the war in Ukraine.

Negotiations on resolving the war in Ukraine are planned for the first half of November in Abu Dhabi in a trilateral format involving Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia. 

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s statement agreeing to resume peace talks with Ukraine does not yet guarantee that they will actually take place. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the results of any contacts should be assessed based on the outcomes of the meetings, not before they begin.