The latest talks come as the US tries to broker a ceasefire between the two countries after more than three years of war.
Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukrainian officials will meet with their American counterparts in Saudi Arabia next Monday, after the Kremlin confirmed US-Russia talks there the same day. The latest talks come as the US tries to broker a ceasefire between the two countries after more than three years of war. The Ukrainian leader said Russia “must stop making unnecessary demands that only prolong the war.” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands include a complete end to military aid that allies provide to Ukraine. Zelensky also warned that taking NATO membership for Ukraine off the table — something Moscow has been demanding — would be a “big gift to Russia.”
Both Zelensky and Putin have agreed to a ceasefire in principle during talks with the US – but a ceasefire has yet to materialise due to conflicting terms. The Russian leader recently agreed to a halt to air strikes on energy and rail infrastructure, as well as ports – but such attacks by both sides have continued.
Zelensky was in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday, where he met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Asked about comments from the White House alleging possible U.S. ownership of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants at a joint news conference, Zelensky flatly ruled that out. He said he had not directly discussed ownership of the Zaporizhzhia power plant — which is currently under Russian control — in his phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, adding that “all nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine.” However, he said he was open to the U.S. taking the plant from Russia for investment or modernization.
Asked if he was ready to make territorial concessions to Russia, particularly Crimea, which has been in Russian hands since 2014, Zelensky said: “This is a Ukrainian peninsula,” adding that Crimea was an “integral part” of his country.
Crimea is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine, despite Russia’s occupation and alleged annexation. When asked what a ceasefire might look like, Zelensky said the first phase would have to be a ceasefire by land and sea, as Ukraine sees it as the only way to stop Russian aggression. Trump was able to extract a deal on a ceasefire on energy infrastructure — which Russia has repeatedly targeted — from Putin in a phone call on Tuesday, but nothing more. Meanwhile, the war — which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 — continues. Overnight strikes killed two people in Ukraine, while Ukrainian drone strikes wounded 10 and set fire to an airport in Russia.
Speaking to EU leaders via video link, Zelensky reiterated calls for continued military aid, asking European leaders for at least €5bn (£4.18bn) in artillery shells “as soon as possible” and said continued support for Ukraine was “crucial”. Zelensky also said the EU should be involved in peace talks and urged Europe not to “ease the pressure on Russia for war”. EU leaders in Brussels were setting out their defence strategy and strengthening security measures for Ukraine.
