Ukraine will not accept a limitation on the size of its army or a neutral status within the framework of a possible peace agreement. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with “TSN-Tizhden“.
“Limiting the army and the neutrality of Ukraine are not under discussion“, Zelensky said. He added that security guarantees for his country cannot be determined by the Russian side.
Territories remain a separate issue
According to the Ukrainian president, the issue of territories is a “red line“ and can only be discussed at the level of state leaders. Kiev allows for a cessation of hostilities along the current front line, but not legal recognition of the temporarily occupied territories as Russian.
Zelensky said this a day after he announced his readiness for a peace agreement that would freeze the conflict along the current front line. At the time, he also rejected the option of Ukraine giving up 25% of its territory. According to him, such a formulation would mean the surrender of the entire Donbas, while Russian forces control 19.3% of Ukrainian territory.
Kiev expects concrete results
Ukraine is ready to participate in trilateral talks at the technical level with representatives of the United States and Russia. Zelensky, however, stressed that these meetings should not end with just declarations, but with specific agreements or a plan for further actions.
Among the possible first steps, he indicated an end to attacks on energy infrastructure, the restoration of safe maritime navigation, and a full exchange of prisoners of war on the principle of “all for all”. According to him, an agreement on an energy truce would be the first practical signal that Moscow is actually ready to end the war.
Zelensky said that Kiev is also ready for a meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia, if Moscow accepts a similar format. According to him, it will become clear in November whether the Russian signals for negotiations are a real attempt at progress or a political move.
Negotiations in November
The resumption of the trilateral talks is expected in the first half of November, with the specific format and location still not finally specified. Meetings of technical groups are being discussed to prepare solutions for energy, shipping security and further contacts between the leaders.
Kiev's position outlines two different levels of negotiations: the possibility of stopping hostilities along the current line and a categorical refusal of restrictions on the Ukrainian army, neutrality or recognition of occupied territories as Russian.
Sources: pravda.com.ua, ru.interfax.com.ua, tsn.ua