His comments fuel speculation over possible talks to end the brutal conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives over three years
Our Foreign Staff. 25 January 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country’s allies should work towards determining a format for any upcoming peace talks with Russia and that Kyiv must be involved for successful negotiations.
His comments are the latest to pile speculation over the possibility of talks to end the brutal conflict that has cost tens of thousands of lives after almost three years of fighting.
“I understand that contacts can be in different formats,” Zelensky said, referring to possible negotiations that would lead to “a just peace”.
“I think we should focus on this today,” he said.
President Vladimir Putin earlier this week said he was ready for talks with US counterpart Donald Trump on Ukraine, praising him as a “smart” leader who might have prevented the conflict from starting in February 2022.
Putin did not say when talks could take place, and the Kremlin said earlier it was still waiting for “signals” from Washington, despite Trump announcing on Thursday he was willing to meet Putin “immediately”.
Trump, who was inaugurated on Monday, has called the conflict “ridiculous” and threatened Russia with tougher economic sanctions if it does not agree to stop its offensive.
Zelensky said in Kyiv that talks to end the war should be held between the United States, Ukraine and Russia, as well as the European Union.
“I can’t say today what kind of negotiations will take place, what will be the structure of the negotiation process, because we don’t have a common plan yet,” Zelensky added.
How could British troops be deployed in Ukraine?
Nato peacekeeping force including British troops is positioned along the frozen frontline in Ukraine to deter future Russian assaults.
He reiterated a common talking point among Ukrainian officials that any negotiations that excluded Kyiv would not ultimately guarantee any lasting peace.
“It is impossible to exclude Ukraine from any negotiation platform, or this negotiation platform will not have real results, but will have political results. And such results will have nothing to do with security and the end of the war,” he said.
Zelensky has put forward several proposals to end the conflict, including his so-called victory plan at a Ukraine summit last year that brought together dozens of countries and international organisations.
A very active and well known kremtroll has chipped in. This is the sort of lies and hate that Ukraine has to put up with 24/7:
Michael Simpson
Hopefully, with President Trump at the helm, the misguided European Leaders, now without Warmongers Biden and Johnson, will bring this terrible war to a conclusion…far, far too many have died, on both sides, Ukraine has been devastated, all because of Zelensky’s big, personal ideas….
Let us hope that this War will be over by March and that the rebuilding of Ukraine can begin, probably with Zelensky in exile to enjoy the Millions he has stashed away…
Trevor Smallwood
Reply to Michael Simpson
All the tired old lies and distortions reprised here .
Any evidence for the ‘millions’?
Any thing to substantiate the ‘warmonger’ labels?
Vlad’s fortune is estimated at 200 billion give or take.
Vlad is by virtue of his invasion of Ukraine an undeniable warmonger.
You missed those 2 facts and peddled misinformation…again.
Matt Forster
Firstly, the West has to stick to its longstanding principle of ’nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine’. No deals over the head of the Ukrainians.
Secondly, seeing as Russia always lies and breaks its treaties the West needs to draw up plans for swift and resolute action the second Russia is out of line.
But the most difficult part will be the question of Russia’s reparations – which will be colossal – and accountability for the thousands of Russian war crimes. And of course, under international law the very act of starting a war of aggression is a crime in itself, for which the political leadership, i.e. president Putin, is responsible.
James Thomas
8 HRS AGO
5 Conditions for Peace
1) $1 trillion in reparations to Ukraine
2) Ukraine can be admitted into the EU and NATO at a future date
3) Russia keeps Crimea and obtained lands; citizens are allowed to leave
4) More shore land needed east of Odesa; 50km
5) Russia gives up its claim to Kaliningrad
6) No war criminal charges remain on either side.
All must be accepted or we fight for six more months with US/EU full backing of Ukraine.
David R Crawford
Putin today withdraws his thugs and thieves to pre-2014 borders. Peace.
“United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES‑11/1 is a resolution of the eleventh emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly, adopted on 2 March 2022. It deplored Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demanded a full withdrawal of Russian forces and a reversal of its decision to recognise the self-declared People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.
The resolution was sponsored by 96 countries, and passed with 141 voting in favour, 5 against,”
How can 141 countries be wrong? How can 4 lackeys of Putinland and Putin the Barbarian prevail?
There are hundreds of thousands of kremtrolls like “Michael Simpson” operating inside and outside ruZZia. They are all filthy criminals, as guilty of murder as the orcs.
They are like cheap street whores, with no morals or self-confidence, ready to go down to service anyone in a back alley for a few lousy bucks.
Notice that kremtrolls; pro or volunteer, almost never criticize Trumpkov. Indeed many, like “Simpson” flatter him; quite possibly under orders.
I’d be interested to get your take on the Roman Sheremeta post facts……
Either the mafia army collapses and gets burned out of Ukraine in full, or the mafia economy collapses and the mafia army gets burned out of Ukraine in full, or both happens. Everything else is crap.