Ukraine is not yet ready for peace talks with Russia, citing the need for more weapons, NATO membership, and security guarantees to prevent future aggression, said Andriy Yermak, President Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, as Kyiv seeks a stronger position for negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff said in an interview broadcast late on Thursday that Kyiv was not yet ready to start talks with Russia as it lacked the weapons, security guarantees and international status that it sought.
Andriy Yermak's comments to public broadcaster Suspilne come as Zelenskyy publicly considers the possibility of a negotiated settlement to the war with Russia, launched by Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022.
"Not just yet today," Yermak told Suspilne, when asked whether Ukraine was ready to embark on talks.
"We don't have the weapons, we don't have the status that we are talking about. And that means an invitation to NATO and an understanding of clear guarantees that would provide for us, so that we could be sure that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin won't be coming back in two-three years."
In comments this week alongside German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted an end to the war and efforts were needed to make his country stronger and oblige the Kremlin to work towards peace.
In recent public pronouncements, the president has also said talks could take place with Russia still holding on to territory it has seized in the invasion.
But Ukraine, he said, needed an invitation issued to the entire country to join NATO, though the Alliance's status would apply to the territory controlled by Kyiv authorities and real security guarantees had to be put in place.
While in Paris last week, Zelenskyy met U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has said, without giving details, that he wants the war to end quickly.
Russia has long rejected any notion of Ukraine becoming a NATO member, with Putin saying Kyiv had to accept the Kremlin's annexation of four Ukrainian regions it only partly controls.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Moscow region killed at least one person and damaged a warehouse belonging to online retailer Wildberrie...
Strong winds and torrential rain are lashing Hawaii after Hurricane Lala skirted the Big Island, prompting warnings o...
Moroccan authorities detained 148 irregular migrants on Saturday (15 August) after security forces blocked an attempted mass crossing into the Span...
Wildfires across England and Wales have reached their highest level on record, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council, as firefighters struggle to contain outbreaks following a spell of extreme heat.
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make the Strait of Hormuz part of U.S. territory have been mocked by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, who said the sea passage "cannot be seized by tweet."
At least 47 people have been killed after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, triggering small tsunami waves and dozens of aftershocks, officials say.
Iran says the U.S. war and military presence in the region have worsened marine pollution around the Strait of Hormuz, calling for environmental protection to form part of future arrangements governing the strategic waterway.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Moscow region killed at least one person and damaged a warehouse belonging to online retailer Wildberries, Russian officials said, as both sides continue targeting infrastructure during the war.
Strong winds and torrential rain are lashing Hawaii after Hurricane Lala skirted the Big Island, prompting warnings of flooding, mudslides, and storm surge.
Moroccan authorities detained 148 irregular migrants on Saturday (15 August) after security forces blocked an attempted mass crossing into the Spanish-administered enclave of Ceuta, officials said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says Egypt could join the newly signed defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, suggesting the pact could eventually grow into a wider regional security framework.
Around 5,000 people have been evacuated to safety after a magnitude-7.7 earthquake smashed an area in eastern Indonesia, killing at least 51, blocking roads and causing landslides, authorities said on Sunday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment