Zelensky Talks with U.S. Envoys about Territory ‘Difficult’
The Ukrainian leader held a telephone conversation Saturday with US peace envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, son-in-law and unofficial advisor to US President Donald Trump.
Axios characterized the territorial portion of the exchange as "difficult," noting that Kiev has firmly rejected Moscow's central demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donbass regions still under their control. The US has been "trying to develop new ideas to bridge the issue," the publication cited its source as saying.
Despite the territorial impasse, both parties made "significant progress and neared agreement" on US security guarantees for Ukraine, according to the report.
Zelensky characterized the discussion on X as "long and substantive," adding that Ukraine was "determined to keep working in good faith with the American side to genuinely achieve peace."
Trump has previously suggested Ukraine may need to accept territorial losses to Russia, contending that Moscow will ultimately seize complete control of the Donbass region.
Witkoff and Kushner held face-to-face meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Tuesday. Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov described the encounter as containing disagreements but said the conversation was "very useful and constructive."
During a visit to India Thursday, Putin informed local journalists that Russia would forcibly expel Ukrainian military forces from Donbass if they decline to retreat voluntarily.
He has previously stated that achieving durable peace requires Ukraine to acknowledge Russia's revised territorial boundaries and abandon NATO membership aspirations in exchange for permanent neutral status.
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