Zelensky is ready to discuss territorial exchange with Putin only in person

Zelensky names the condition for discussing territories

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is ready to discuss the issue of territorial exchange with Russia as part of a peace agreement, but only in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said this in an interview with TSN, reports Gazeta.Ru.

Kyiv's position and the format of negotiations

According to Zelensky, the United States has long been raising the topic of territorial exchange. He emphasized that Kyiv does not intend to give up territories, but is ready to discuss this issue at the level of heads of state. Other issues, in his view, can be handled by technical groups. The Ukrainian leader expressed hope that the territorial issue could be addressed during peace settlement talks scheduled for November.

Context: Moscow's readiness for a trilateral format

On October 21, Vladimir Putin met with US President's special envoy Steve Witkoff. After the meeting, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said that Moscow is ready to resume trilateral talks as early as November with Washington and Kyiv to settle the Ukrainian crisis, and expressed confidence that the conflict is moving toward an end. Earlier, Witkoff also gave his assessment of his recent conversation with Putin.

Why this matters

Zelensky's statement, for the first time in this series of publications, specifies the format: Kyiv is ready to discuss the territorial issue only at the presidential level, not through technical groups. This directly affects the organization of the November talks, for which Moscow has declared its readiness: without a face-to-face meeting between Zelensky and Putin, the key agenda item will, judging by the Ukrainian side's position, remain off the table. For the parties to the conflict and the mediators in the form of the United States, this means that preparations for the November round will require agreement at the very highest level.