Ukraine ready for any format of talks with Russia - Zelensky
President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations to achieve settlement in the country’s east, adding that the same will is also required on the part of Russia.
The president addressed the issue as he was speaking with journalists in Brussels on Wednesday, December 15, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
"Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations with the Russian Federation to resolve this process. We are talking about this openly, and not for the first time. The same will is needed on the part of the Russian Federation to stop the war,” the president said.
Zelensky noted that he was looking into holding a summit of Normandy leaders, adding that this must not be "a summit for the sake of the summit."
The head of state expects that the three issues be settled, including the ceasefire, the exchange of held persons, and the opening of the crossing checkpoints in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
"The leaders of the Normandy format should bring this to Russia’s attention, which should result in a meeting of the Normandy Four – that’s if Russia is really interested in resolving the issue," Zelensky said.
At the same time, the president noted the lack of effectiveness of the Normandy format as of today.
"As for Normandy, whether it works or not depends only on the result. Had it only depended on Ukraine, it would have worked more often and more effectively," the head of state said.
In this regard, he noted that Ukraine is working on a number of "parallel steps."
"I am glad that the United States wants to play some kind of a role today. I would like them to play one of the main, not episodic, roles in this peaceful settlement. If it is difficult to join the Normandy format and maybe it would be wrong, we can walk on a parallel track, we are ready for the tripartite summits, but nothing must be decided regarding Ukraine without Ukraine," said Zelensky.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is on a working visit to Brussels on December 15-16, where he took part in the sixth Eastern Partnership Summit.
On December 9, following a Zelensky’s phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden, chief of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, said the United States was set to actively participate in the process of peaceful settlement in Ukraine, while the format was yet to be determined.
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