Zelensky announces possible meeting with Witkoff and Kushner next week

Preparation for new contacts with the US

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a new meeting between the Ukrainian delegation and US President’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner may take place next week. The head of state provided this information while speaking with journalists.

According to the head of state, on 16 October, the head of Ukraine’s External Intelligence Service, Rustem Umierov, contacted representatives of the US side, including Jared Kushner.

«Вони домовляються про зустріч. Я готовий також з ними зустрічатися. Я думаю, на цьому тижні вони знайдуть можливість і ми знайдемо формат, як зустрітися» (They are arranging a meeting. I am also ready to meet with them. I think that this week they will find an opportunity and we will find a format for how to meet), the president noted.

Change of location and negotiation conditions

Zelensky added that the meeting between the Ukrainian and US delegations was initially planned to be held in Brussels, but the US side “failed” to implement this plan. At the same time, he noted that the American platform would continue to operate.

The president expressed expectations regarding the direction of pressure in the peace process:

«Ми розраховуємо, що вони будуть більше тиснути на Путіна, а не на нас. Інакше це просто несправедливо» (We expect that they will put more pressure on Putin, not on us. Otherwise, it is simply unfair).

He also stated that Ukraine is ready to meet with the US delegation in any country where Americans can be present.

«Ми всюди готові до перемовин, до будь-якого формату перемовин — втрьох, вдвох, вчотирох — неважливо. Важливий мир. На наступному тижні є можливість, американська сторона дала нам сигнал може бути у нас з ними зустріч» (We are ready for negotiations anywhere, in any format of negotiations — trilateral, bilateral, quadrilateral — it does not matter. Peace is important. Next week there is an opportunity; the American side has given us a signal that we may have a meeting with them), Zelensky added.