Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a new round of talks with US officials is scheduled for Friday and Saturday in the United States, as diplomatic efforts intensify to resolve the conflict with Russia before a European summit that is expected to discuss Ukraine's financing for the next two years.
According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy informed reporters that the Ukrainian delegation is en route to the United States and that American officials are anticipating their arrival. He mentioned that European representatives might also participate in the discussions. However, Zelenskyy did not specify who would represent Ukraine in these talks.
The announcement follows recent negotiations in Berlin involving Ukrainian, US, and European officials, where the focus was on security guarantees for Ukraine and territorial matters. The upcoming talks are slated to occur in Florida, preceding separate discussions between Russian and American representatives.
Participants for these meetings have not been officially confirmed, but Politico reported that the US delegation might include Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, an unofficial advisor to President Donald Trump, with Russia potentially represented by Kirill Dmitriev, a close associate of President Vladimir Putin.
In addition to the diplomatic talks, Zelenskyy addressed discussions with the US regarding potential elections in Ukraine, stating that conversations were confined to the presidency. He clarified that there are no current plans for parliamentary or local elections. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Washington had raised the issue of holding presidential elections and expressed his willingness to proceed under suitable conditions.
Zelenskyy also revisited the idea of remote voting, emphasizing his support for online elections amid resistance from the Verkhovna Rada. He noted his continuous advocacy for legislative changes to enable online voting since the onset of the Covid pandemic. However, he admitted that consensus with parliamentarians has not yet been achieved.
When questioned about any legislative progress regarding elections, Zelenskyy confirmed that no concrete work had commenced but assured that he had communicated his stance to members of parliament.