Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone conversation today with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in an effort to revive stalled negotiations and find a resolution to the war with Russia.
“I am grateful for their readiness to work as actively as possible in the coming weeks to revitalize diplomacy with the goal of bringing an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Zelensky highlighted on his social media platforms following the phone call.
“We understand that global attention is focused on the situation surrounding Iran. But our common goal of peace in Europe remains on the agenda,” he emphasized, adding that he had this “very positive” conversation during a stopover in Moldova.
Zelensky mentioned that they discussed “prospects in the context of the G7 summit (scheduled for mid-June in France) and other events in June,” specifying that he provided his interlocutors with information regarding Moscow’s intentions.
Read more about this topic: Zelensky calls for face-to-face meeting with Putin and proposes ceasefire during peace talks
The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly brought up the possibility of a visit by the two envoys to Kyiv, which would mark their first since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
In early June, Zelensky lamented that arranging this visit was taking “too long,” while simultaneously acknowledging that Iran was, at that moment, Washington’s “number one problem.”
In recent months, several rounds of negotiations under United States auspices have failed to bring Kyiv and Moscow closer to an agreement, with the process becoming increasingly bogged down as Washington’s attention shifted toward Iran.
Last week, Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to negotiate a way out of the conflict. However, Putin rejected the idea, demanding a final agreement prior to any meeting.
Read more about this topic: European nations back Zelensky’s proposal for “direct dialogue” with Russia
Moscow demands political and territorial concessions from Ukraine, including a total withdrawal from the eastern Donetsk region. Kyiv firmly rejects these demands, viewing them as equivalent to capitulation.
