Peace negotiations in Ukraine resume today. Meeting in Kyiv between Zelenski, his European and American allies
Volodymyr Zelensky. Credit line: Office of the President of Ukraine / Avalon / Profimedia
New negotiations between Ukraine and its European and American allies are taking place in Kiev on Saturday on a deal to end the war with Russia, which has announced its intention to “toughen” its position. The security advisors of the European countries allied to Kiev will meet with Ukrainian officials, while an American team will join them via video conference, reports AFP.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, 15 countries have confirmed their participation, as well as representatives of the European Union and NATO.
This meeting precedes next week's summit in France of the countries of the “Coalition of the Will” that support Ukraine, according to AFP, quoted by News.ro.
According to Zelensky, Saturday's meeting aims, in particular, to discuss “security guarantees” that Ukraine's allies can offer.
The Ukrainian president met with Donald Trump in Washington in December to discuss the US plan to end a nearly four-year-old war, but some sensitive issues remain unresolved.
In addition, Russia announced its intention to “harden its position” after it accused Kiev of a drone attack on a residence of President Vladimir Putin and an attack it said killed 28 civilians on New Year's Eve in the Russian military-held part of Ukraine's Kherson region.
How much did the Russians conquer in Ukraine
The Russians occupy about 19.4% of Ukraine's surface, of which 0.94% will be conquered during 2025, according to data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which collaborates with the Critical Threats Project (CTP), two American think tanks specializing in the study of conflicts.
In December, Moscow captured 244 km2, the smallest monthly advance since March, in the context of winter weather conditions, but accelerated its offensive in Donbas, the eastern region where the main points of Ukrainian defense are located.
As a sign of the Russian advance, the Ukrainian authorities on Friday ordered the evacuation of more than 3,000 children with their parents from forty localities in the regions of Zaporozhye (south) and Dnipropetrovsk (center-east).
In his wishes for 2026, Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that an agreement to end the war is “90% ready”, while warning that the remaining 10% will determine the “fate of peace”, with the future of the territories occupied by Russia remaining one of the key points.
However, this agreement is not directly negotiated, with the Ukrainians and Russians holding talks with the Americans. And Moscow's adoption of its latest version seems unlikely, as it would entail giving up some of its key demands.
Vladimir Putin has reiterated in recent weeks that Russia will achieve its goals in Ukraine “by military means” if negotiations fail, and hailed his army's recent victories at the front.
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