Ukrainian president says land remains the hardest issue as U.S.-led negotiations accelerate and envoy Steve Witkoff prepares to meet Putin in Moscow.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that territorial questions are the most difficult challenge in ongoing peace efforts to end Russia’s war on Ukraine. Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris, Zelenskyy said the issue “is the most complicated,” underscoring the deep divisions that remain as the United States pushes to broker an agreement.
Macron said Ukraine alone has the authority to decide its territorial boundaries. “It’s about its own territories, recognized by international law and sovereign,” he stated. “Security guarantees cannot be discussed or negotiated without the Ukrainians, the owners of the territories, at the table.”
The comments came as Zelenskyy prepared for direct talks with President Donald Trump, whose administration has spearheaded a rapid diplomatic push to end the war. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff was set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday following two days of negotiations in Florida between U.S. officials and Ukrainian representatives.
Ukraine’s negotiator Rustem Umerov said “significant progress” had been made but noted that “certain issues require further refinement.” Zelenskyy said he expected to speak with Trump soon about “key issues that are quite challenging,” emphasizing that Russia “should not receive any concession that it could consider as a reward for this war.”
Zelenskyy also accused Moscow of intensifying missile and drone strikes to sap Ukrainian morale. “This is serious pressure, not only psychological but also physical pressure on our population,” he said.
The White House’s 28-point proposal—revised after early discussions in Geneva—originally called for Ukraine to withdraw from parts of the Donetsk region and for U.S. recognition of Russian control over Donetsk, Lugansk, and Crimea. The updated version has not been made public.
European leaders expressed unease over the fast-moving talks. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that “all the pressure will be put on the weaker side,” while Macron reiterated that “no finalised plan on the territorial issues” exists and that “it can only be finalised by President Zelenskyy.”
In their meeting, Macron and Zelenskyy jointly telephoned Witkoff and Umerov to discuss developments from Florida. Macron later spoke with Trump about “next steps in the mediation efforts,” stressing the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine, according to the Élysée.
The talks occur amid the largest Russian advance in nearly a year. An analysis by the Institute for the Study of War found that Russia seized 701 square kilometres of territory in November, bringing the total area under its control to roughly 19.3 percent of Ukraine.
The continuing conflict has left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced. A Russian missile strike on Dnipro Monday killed four people and injured nearly two dozen, regional officials said.
Macron called the coming weeks “decisive for the future of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe,” adding that new U.S. sanctions on Russia’s energy industry could place “the highest pressure since the beginning of the war.”
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