Zelensky: Reducing the army and Ukraine's neutrality will not be a subject of negotiations with Russia

Zelensky sets out red lines ahead of November talks

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that limits on the size of the Ukrainian army and the country's neutral status will not be discussed in negotiations with the Russian delegation. The issue of territories, according to him, can only be resolved at the level of heads of state. This is reported by Deutsche Welle (published by Daryo.uz).

Kyiv's position on security guarantees and territories

“Our security guarantees are our security guarantees. The Russian side cannot define them”, Zelensky said. He also noted that Kyiv does not agree to the territorial swap option proposed by the United States. According to the president, at the November talks the parties should consider the possibility of holding a meeting at the level of presidents.

Sanctions as a negotiating asset

Zelensky called for not lifting sanctions on Russia before the meeting of heads of state. “Sanctions were imposed for aggression, not for the opportunity to hold talks. I said this to the American delegation as well: if we are talking about Russia's goodwill, we should not buy it at such a price. I do not want us to be left without instruments — without sanctions, without money or without frozen assets — at the meeting with Putin. Because then, as Mr. Trump said, there really will not be many cards left in our deck,” — Deutsche Welle quotes his words.

Context: trilateral format in November

In November, trilateral talks are expected with the participation of delegations from Ukraine, Russia and the United States. They may discuss security guarantees for Ukraine after the end of the war, as well as the possibility of organizing a new meeting at the level of heads of state. The talks are expected to begin on November 10 or later. Earlier, on October 22, Daryo.uz reported on Putin's and Zelensky's agreement to trilateral talks.

Why this matters

Zelensky's statements set the framework for the upcoming trilateral format: Kyiv rules out in advance two key points that, judging by the publications, may be subject to discussion — limits on the army and neutral status — and also rejects the American territorial swap option. For readers, this means that the outcome of the November talks will depend on whether the other participants are willing to take these constraints into account; Kyiv's position on sanctions, which Zelensky proposes to keep as a negotiating asset until a possible meeting of presidents, also serves as a practical reference point. It is not yet known whether the timing and format of the talks will be confirmed and whether a meeting at the level of heads of state will take place.