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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is constantly initiating steps to advance in the process of ending the war and a peaceful settlement in Donbas and is ready for negotiations in any format with the participation of the Russian Federation.
This is reported by UA with reference to the OP.
During the conference of Ukrainian ambassadors ‘Diplomacy 30. Strategy of a strong state’ in Huta of Ivano-Frankivsk region, the president said that negotiations are underway within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group.
‘I don’t know about Russia, but we definitely expect that our 3 initiatives will be taken into account – understandable questions to which, I believe, everyone is ready. Those are ceasefire, opening of the checkpoints – this is the second question. I do not see what the problem is, only the desire of one side is needed. And the third is exchange’ – said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the head of state, if the other side has a corresponding desire, it is quite possible to reach agreements on the implementation of these points even before the New Year and Christmas holidays.
‘We are constantly preparing and initiating different documents, different steps so that we are not reproached for not wanting something. We are ready to do it’ – the President said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also emphasized that he is ready for direct negotiations with the President of the Russian Federation in any format. According to him, Ukraine even proposed 10 steps that can be carried out with the involvement of the member states of the Normandy format and the United States.
‘We are also ready for a direct dialogue. We do not care in what format. We need just readiness’ – said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the president, work is underway on possible negotiations in different formats.
‘There is a Normandy format. There is a conversation between the President of the United States of America and the President of Russia, and there are conversations between the security advisers of these states. And we have different conversations. There is a multi-vector conversation going on’ – said the head of state.
The United States is ready for diplomacy on Russia’s troop accumulation near Ukraine, but any dialogue should be coordinated with allies and partners in Europe.
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