Ukraine ready for any format of talks, but with one condition – Head of Zelenskyy's office

Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President, has stated that Ukraine is ready for any format of talks with Russia, but there is one condition – a complete ceasefire by Moscow.

Source: Yermak on Telegram, outlining the key messages of his interview with the French newspaper Le Monde

Quote: "We are ready for any format of dialogue, but there is one condition – full and unconditional ceasefire. We are not afraid of this because it is Ukraine that has demonstrated openness and honesty. Now the ball is in Russia's court."

Details: Yermak added that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to Türkiye even if Russian leader Vladimir Putin refuses direct contact.

"This will be a clear signal to the entire world: Moscow does not want peace, it is not ready for meaningful talks," he believes.

Yermak also expressed hope that the United States, a strategic partner of Ukraine, would maintain its role in the process.

"We are grateful to [Donald Trump's special envoy] Steve Witkoff for his constructive discussions and understanding that a ceasefire is a logical step," he said. "We are also grateful to President Trump for his clear message: if Putin does not want peace, Ukraine will get more than it can imagine."

Yermak believes that if Putin does not come to Türkiye, this should serve as a catalyst for action. In particular, for implementing the US sanctions package from Senator Lindsey Graham and new EU sanctions that should target Russia's energy and financial sectors.

"Thirty days of silence is not a military advantage, but an opportunity to start the process: delegations, monitoring, transparency," he emphasised. "And it is the US that has the potential to implement this." 

He added that Ukraine is negotiating with Europe to purchase air defence systems and already has "the first real results from the coalition of the willing".

Yermak named Ukraine's place in NATO as the key issue.

"There will be no real guarantees without this. And we will never allow Russia to have a veto over our future," he concluded.

Background: 

• Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed that he was ready to host negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
• Zelenskyy reported that he is scheduled to meet his Erdoğan in Ankara on Thursday, but if Putin agrees to fly to Istanbul, he and Erdoğan are prepared to travel there instead.
• Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump’s special envoys, will travel to Istanbul, where talks between Ukraine and Russia may take place on Thursday.
• Yermak said that a refusal by Putin to come to the talks in Türkiye will indicate that Russia does not want to end the war.
• Meanwhile, the Kremlin said that the Russian side is continuing to prepare for talks in Istanbul on 15 May and is not providing any further comments.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!