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Ukrainian representatives led by Secretary of Ukraine's National Security, Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andrii Hnatov, are set to continue their talks with the US negotiation team, led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, on Friday, after nearly five hours of talks with Moscow led to "no compromise" from the Russian side on the Ukraine peace plans.
In a post on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Kyiv's priority is to obtain full clarity on what was discussed during Moscow's recent engagements and to ensure that Ukraine's interests remain central in all diplomatic efforts. He underscored that Ukraine is prepared for "any possible developments" and will continue to work "as constructively as possible" with all its international partners to secure a dignified peace. "Today, Ukrainian representatives will continue their discussions in the United States with President Trump's team. Our task now is to obtain full information about what was said in Moscow and what other pretexts Putin has come up with to drag out the war and to pressure Ukraine," Zelenskyy's post read. "Ukraine is prepared for any possible developments, and of course we will work as constructively as possible with all partners to ensure that peace is achieved - and that it is, after all, a dignified peace. Only a dignified peace provides real security, and we fully understand that this requires - and will continue to require - the support of our partners," it added. The meeting comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin held five hours of talks with US negotiators led by President Donald Trump's special envoy, Witkoff, in an effort to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine. However, "no compromise" was reached on territorial issues, as per senior Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Moscow won't compromise on its security interests to ensure Kyiv's security. Addressing questions on NATO expansion, Ukraine's leadership, and US involvement in peace efforts, Putin said in an interview with Aaj India Today that Ukraine's security shouldn't come at the cost of Russia's security concerns. When asked whether NATO membership for Ukraine was ever genuinely on the table and how he viewed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's leadership, Putin said Zelensky had come to power promising peace but had deviated from that path. "When this gentleman came to power, he declared that he would pursue peace at all costs, using every means possible, without sparing even his career. But now we see things differently. He follows the same pattern as his predecessors -- putting the interests of a narrow nationalist group, particularly radical nationalists, ahead of those of the people." He added that the current government's approach "truly resembles a neo-Nazi regime because extreme nationalism and neo-Nazism are almost indistinguishable concepts," and argued that Kyiv continues to prioritise military solutions. "What matters most for them is realising that the best way to resolve the problems is through peaceful negotiations, and we attempted to negotiate with them back in 2022." Putin emphasised that Russia is open to negotiations but won't agree to terms that undermine its security.Putin said, "NATO is another matter altogether... Each country, including Ukraine, has the right to choose its own means of defence and ensure its own safety. Correct? Absolutely correct. Do we deny Ukraine this? No. But it's not acceptable if done at Russia's expense." Putin reiterated that Moscow is only asking for commitments already made. "We are not asking for anything unusual... They were pledged to Russia back in the '90s: no expansion eastward -- this was stated publicly. Since then, several waves of expansion took place, culminating with Ukraine being drawn into NATO. This completely displeases us and poses a serious threat." He noted that Ukraine's original Declaration of State Sovereignty recognised the country as a neutral state. "When Ukraine became independent, few people recall this: what was the first document ratifying independence? It was the Declaration of State Sovereignty, Independence of Ukraine. That forms the foundation of Ukrainian sovereignty and modern statehood. And it clearly states that Ukraine is a neutral state," he said. When questioned on whether Kyiv's 28-point peace proposal remains under discussion, Putin said, "They simply broke down those 28 points, then 27, into four packages and proposed discussing these four packages. But essentially, it's still just the same old 27 points." (ANI)
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