The term "settlement" is more appropriate than "deal" as far as negotiations on Ukraine are concerned. However, President Zelensky is not prepared for any of that due to a ban imposed by the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated.
"It's worth saying this: [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky cannot be ready for a deal. And it's probably more appropriate to use the word "settlement," because to achieve a settlement, negotiations must take place. Zelensky has prohibited himself from holding negotiations through his own decree," Peskov said.
In October 2022, Zelensky enacted an NSDC decision rejecting talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This followed Russia's signing of agreements to annex the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Later, Zelensky indicated he might consider direct negotiations with Putin if Ukraine could receive security guarantees from the U.S. or Europe.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry clarified that the NSDC ban remains in effect and urged waiting for official contacts with Washington after Trump's inauguration.
On January 21, Trump claimed that Zelensky had expressed willingness for a deal with Russia, though the U.S. President noted he was unaware of a similar readiness from Putin. Trump later urged Moscow to "end the absurd war," warning that otherwise, high tariffs and sanctions would be imposed.
Moscow has repeatedly expressed its willingness to negotiate with Kyiv. Putin proposed a ceasefire under conditions such as the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donbas republics, Ukraine's adoption of a non-aligned status, and the lifting of international sanctions. In response to Trump's threats, the Kremlin reiterated its readiness for "equal and mutually respectful dialogue."
Zelensky describes Putin's proposals as ultimatums and sees peaceful conflict resolution in Ukraine's partial NATO membership. He ruled out recognizing lost territories and expressed confidence in reclaiming them through diplomacy after hostilities end. Zelensky also referred to Ukraine's operation in Russia's Kursk region as a "strong card" for future negotiations.
There have been several rounds of peace talks to halt the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present) and end the Russo-Ukrainian War (2014–present). The first meeting was held four days after the start of the invasion, on 28 February 2022, in Belarus. It concluded without result. A second and third round of talks took place on 3 and 7 March 2022 on the Belarus–Ukraine border. A fourth and fifth round of talks were held on 10 and 14 March in Antalya, Turkey. The negotiations in Turkey produced the Istanbul Communiqué. It proposed that Ukraine end its plans to eventually join NATO, have limits placed on its military, and would have obliged Western countries to help Ukraine in case of aggression against it. The talks almost reached agreement, with both sides considering "far-reaching concessions", but stopped in May 2022, due to several factors, including the Bucha massacre. Following the 2022 Ukrainian eastern counteroffensive, Russia renewed calls for peace talks, but Russian government sources suggested that Putin is not truly committed to peace and was simply stalling for time while its forces trained and replenished for a future advance. As of 2024, Ukraine's peace terms are that Russia withdraw its troops, that its leaders be prosecuted for war crimes, and that Ukraine have security guarantees. Russia's terms are that Russia must be allowed to keep all the land it occupies, that it also be given all of the provinces that it claims but does not fully control, and that Ukraine end plans to join NATO.
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