Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russia’s decision to change the leadership of its delegation for upcoming peace talks in Geneva appeared to be an attempt to delay progress.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy said he was surprised by Moscow’s decision to appoint presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky to head its team, replacing military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, who led previous discussions in Abu Dhabi.
“The surprise is that Russians changed the leader of the group,” Zelenskyy said. “They want to postpone the decisions.”
He expressed hope that Washington would not allow Moscow to restart negotiations from the beginning because of the new delegation.
“I hope that our American partner will not give such possibility to Russians to play with them,” he said.
Security Guarantees and Foreign Troops
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine was close to finalising a framework for long-term security guarantees with international partners.
“We are very close to finalising this project,” he said, noting that the United States had proposed guarantees lasting 15 years. Kyiv, however, is pushing for a longer commitment of 20 years or more.
“We are pushing for 20 years plus, 30 or even 50 years,” he said, adding that investors required long-term stability assurances.
The Ukrainian leader reiterated that foreign troops would be necessary after a ceasefire to deter renewed Russian aggression.
“After ceasefire… we are ready to put troops and the Coalition of the Willing… they have to put troops somewhere,” he said, referring to potential deployments on land, in the air and at sea.
He noted that Russia opposes such an arrangement and questioned why Moscow would resist if it did not intend to resume hostilities.
“If they don’t want to continue the war… why are they afraid?” he asked.
No Territorial Concessions
Zelenskyy rejected the idea of exchanging Ukrainian territory as part of a settlement.
“We can’t withdraw from our territory or exchange our territory, one piece to another piece of our territory,” he said. “It’s something a little bit crazy.”
He added that territorial issues affect not only land but also the lives of residents, saying that around 200,000 people live in the areas concerned.
Geneva Talks Ahead
Ukrainian, Russian and American delegations are scheduled to meet in Geneva on 17 and 18 February, as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to broker an agreement to end the war, now in its fourth year.
Zelenskyy said he hoped the upcoming trilateral meetings would be substantive.
“We truly hope that the trilateral meetings next week will be serious, substantive, helpful for all of us,” he said at the Munich Security Conference. “But honestly, sometimes it feels like the sides are talking about completely different things.”
He added that Ukraine was being asked “too often” to make concessions, while accusing Moscow of attempting to delay decisions by changing its lead negotiator ahead of the talks.
Recent rounds of negotiations in Abu Dhabi were described by the parties as constructive but did not produce major breakthroughs.
Zelenskyy called for stronger action from Ukraine’s allies, including increased sanctions on Russia and continued weapons supplies, to ensure that Moscow engages seriously in negotiations.
Asked which member of the U.S. negotiation team he preferred, Zelenskyy responded: “God bless the President of the United States.”
U.S. President Donald Trump says Israeli and Lebanese leaders have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire that includes Hezbollah, raising cautious hopes of ...
The U.S. House of Representatives has narrowly voted to block an effort to rein in Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military operations ag...
Georgia’s parliament has approved fast-tracked amendments to the Law on Grants, introducing new exemptions and ...
RRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Beijing is placing China’s diplomacy under closer scrutiny, as it balances its partn...
Russia published addresses of manufacturers allegedly producing drones or components for Ukraine on Wednesday (15 Apr...
The U.S. House of Representatives has narrowly voted to block an effort to rein in Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military operations against Iran.
Georgia’s parliament has approved fast-tracked amendments to the Law on Grants, introducing new exemptions and expanding the state’s role in defining and overseeing foreign funding.
RRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Beijing is placing China’s diplomacy under closer scrutiny, as it balances its partnership with Moscow against strained relations with the U.S.
Russia published addresses of manufacturers allegedly producing drones or components for Ukraine on Wednesday (15 April), warning European countries against plans to step up UAV supplies to Kyiv.
Dubai’s most iconic hotel, the Burj Al Arab, is set to close for the first time since opening in 1999 as it begins an extensive 18-month refurbishment aimed at preserving its status as a global symbol of luxury.
The U.S. and Iran could resume peace talks over the next couple of days, U.S. President Donald Trump has said. Talks between Israel and Lebanon were held in Washington yesterday. Fuel prices have dropped below $100 a barrel. U.S. blockade on Iranian ports completes first day.
Azerbaijan and Russia have announced a formal settlement over the 2024 crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) Embraer 190 near Aktau, confirming that all outstanding issues, including compensation, have been resolved.
Türkiye is reeling after a second school shooting in as many days, after a 14-year-old student killed nine people - eight pupils and one teacher - and wounded 13 others at a middle school in the south-eastern province of Kahramanmaraş on Wednesday, officials said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced what he says is a new ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, after holding separate calls with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
The U.S. House of Representatives has narrowly voted to block an effort to rein in Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military operations against Iran.
RRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Beijing is placing China’s diplomacy under closer scrutiny, as it balances its partnership with Moscow against strained relations with the U.S.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Israeli and Lebanese leaders have agreed to a 10-day ceasefire that includes Hezbollah, raising cautious hopes of a pause in hostilities after weeks of escalating tensions.
Russia published addresses of manufacturers allegedly producing drones or components for Ukraine on Wednesday (15 April), warning European countries against plans to step up UAV supplies to Kyiv.
Britain and France will co-host virtual talks on Friday (17 April) to ease tensions and restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment