Kyiv’s International Minister has stated the Ukrainian and Russian leaders want to fulfill in particular person to hash out the toughest remaining points in peace talks, and that solely U.S. President Donald Trump has the ability to result in an settlement.
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Ukraine needs to speed up the efforts to finish the four-year-old battle and capitalise on momentum within the U.S.-brokered talks earlier than different components come into play, comparable to campaigning for the U.S. Congressional mid-term elections in November, International Minister Andrii Sybiha stated in an interview.
Ukraine says last take care of Russia wants Trump
“Solely Trump can cease the battle,” Mr. Sybiha informed Reuters in his workplace in Kyiv, near the Dnipro river.
From a 20-point peace plan that has shaped the premise of current trilateral negotiations, solely “a couple of” objects stay excellent, Sybiha stated. “Probably the most delicate and most troublesome, to be handled on the leaders’ degree.”
On key points, comparable to land, the 2 sides seem far aside. Russia has maintained its demand that Ukraine cede the remaining 20% of the japanese area of Donetsk that it has didn’t occupy throughout years of grinding, attritional warfare — one thing that Kyiv has steadfastly refused. Ukraine additionally needs management over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant — the largest in Europe — which is in Russian-occupied territory.
Throughout a second spherical of trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi this week there was no signal of a breakthrough, although an trade of 314 prisoners of battle was concluded on Thursday (February 5, 2026) – the primary such swap since October. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy informed reporters on Saturday that the U.S. had proposed a brand new spherical of talks in Miami in per week, which Kyiv had agreed to.
“My evaluation is we’ve momentum, that’s true,” Sybiha, in publish since 2024, stated in an interview carried out on Friday (February 6). “We’d like consolidation or mobilisation of those peace efforts, and we’re prepared to hurry up.”
Practically 4 years after its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia occupies virtually a fifth of Ukraine’s territory — together with the Crimean Peninsula and elements of japanese Ukraine occupied earlier than the battle — and has devastated the electrical energy and heating community with focused bombing. On the battlefield, analysts say Russia has gained solely about 1.3% of Ukrainian territory since early 2023. Mr. Zelenskyy stated on Saturday (February 7) that Washington hoped the battle could possibly be ended earlier than the summer season and Ukraine had urged a sequencing plan, however he offered no particulars.
Sources had informed Reuters on Friday (February 6) that Ukrainian and U.S. officers had mentioned a timetable together with a draft take care of Russia by March and a referendum on it in Ukraine alongside elections in Could.
U.S. Safety guarantess have been important, Ukraine says
Ukraine is targeted on acquiring Western safety ensures to discourage future Russian aggression as soon as a ceasefire enters power.
The U.S., Sybiha stated, had confirmed to Ukraine that it was ready to ratify safety ensures in Congress; it will then present a safety “backstop” to help the peace deal, although no U.S. troops on the bottom in Ukraine.
“I personally don’t imagine, at this stage, in any safety infrastructure or structure with out the Individuals … We will need to have them with us – and they’re within the course of. That’s an enormous, large achievement,” he stated.
An announcement issued after a gathering in Paris final month of the “coalition of the prepared” stated the allies would take part in a proposed U.S.-led ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism. Officers have stated this might possible contain drones, sensors and satellites, not U.S. troops.
The international minister stated another international locations past Britain and France, each already publicly dedicated, had confirmed their readiness to ship troops to Ukraine as a deterrence power, however he declined to establish them.
Aside from “boots on the bottom”, Sybiha stated there must be a mechanism akin to the NATO alliance’s Article 5 that classifies an assault on one member state as an assault on all. Ukraine’s proposed membership of the European Union would additionally present an extra factor of safety, he stated. Zelenskiy has stated Ukraine needs to hitch the 27-nation bloc by 2027 – which might require important reforms and laws.
On Saturday, Zelenskiy raised issues about bilateral talks between Russia and the U.S., which he stated included a proposal from Moscow for $12 trillion in investments.
Sybiha stated a few of these discussions may have an effect on Ukraine’s sovereignty or safety, and Kyiv wouldn’t help any such offers made with out it.
He additionally stated any nation’s choice in the middle of a peace settlement to recognise Russian sovereignty over Crimea or the Donbas, Ukraine’s japanese industrial heartland, could be “legally void”.
“We’ll by no means recognise this. And it will likely be a violation of worldwide legislation,” Sybiha stated. “This was not about Ukraine. It’s about precept.”
Revealed – February 08, 2026 06:32 pm IST