Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed cautious support for a proposed trilateral meeting involving national security advisors from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. While skeptical about the potential for breakthrough political outcomes, Zelensky emphasized the necessity of dialogue to facilitate humanitarian exchanges.
The proposal, initiated by the United States, was conveyed to the President by Ukraine's chief peace negotiator, Rustem Umerov.
President Zelensky noted that while he remains uncertain if the meeting would yield "something new" politically, he pointed to the precedent set by previous talks in Türkiye, which successfully facilitated the return of captured soldiers and civilians.
"I am very glad that we had exchanges. Our people, our military, primarily prisoners, returned home. And civilians. Therefore, we need to take such steps," Zelensky stated. He added that if the talks result in further exchanges or agreements, he supports the US proposal: "Let's see how it goes."
However, he acknowledged that the most contentious issues in the peace process remain unresolved. These include territorial disputes, control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and funding for Ukraine's post-war reconstruction.
According to reports, the US delegation is expected to include President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The Russian side is likely to be represented by Kirill Dmitriev, a special envoy to President Vladimir Putin.
Separately, Ukrainian National Security Advisor Rustem Umerov is scheduled to meet with the US delegation in the United States, potentially in Miami.
Diplomatic efforts appear to be accelerating. Officials from the Trump administration indicated that during talks in Berlin last weekend, US, European, and Ukrainian officials reached a consensus or significantly narrowed gaps on 90 per cent of the points in a 20-point US draft peace plan.
(Inputs from IANS)