Decision on any talks with Putin must be made by Zelensky personally - U.S. State Department

Ukraine has a main role to play in determining its own future, and President Zelensky must personally make decisions about any potential negotiations with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

This is how State Department spokesman Matthew Miller commented on the UAE proposal to organize a meeting of the Ukraine and Russia leaders at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, Ukrinform's own correspondent reports.

"With respect to any meeting between Presidents Zelensky and President Putin, I would say that is a decision for President Zelensky to make. We have made clear that Ukraine is in the driver's seat when it comes to deciding the future of Ukraine and that is true with respect to any potential negotiations," the representative of the State Department noted.

At the same time, according to him, the Ukrainian side clearly emphasized that it is open to negotiations with Russia that will respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

"But the impediment has always been and continues to be that Vladimir Putin has not renounced his imperialist aims, has not renounced his belief that Ukraine is not a real country in his words. And has not withdrawn his troops from beyond Ukraine's borders.," Miller noted.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the U.S. Department of State categorically denied allegations voiced by the Russian side that the United States allegedly dissuaded Kyiv from holding peace talks with Russia.