The Ukrainian delegation participating in talks with Russia “understands the motives” of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office said on Friday, adding that although the Ukrainian side knows “where [Russia] wants to go”, no concessions will be made to Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Speaking at a press conference in the Ukrainian city of Lviv, Mykhailo Podoliak said Ukraine’s position is being “stepped up” by Western partners, adding that President Volodymyr Zelensky “certainly will not make any concessions that would affect our territorial integrity and freedom.”
“The position of the Russian Federation is tough – if it were easy they wouldn’t attack Ukraine – but the position of the Ukrainian Chief of the Armed Forces is also tough. The negotiations are difficult, but they are taking place,” Podoliak added.
The press conference comes a day after the second round of talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Belarus. In a tweet on Thursday, Podoliak said the talks have not yielded the results Ukraine desired, although the delegations were able to reach a “solution only for the organization of humanitarian corridors”.
David Arakhamia, a senior Ukrainian ruling party official who also took part in the talks, said on Friday that Zelensky has not made an official request for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that it remains “too early” and further negotiations are needed. before they speak.
Arakhamia also noted that Russia is facing increased “pressure” from the wider international community over attacks by Russian forces on civilian areas in Ukraine.
Pressured by the Russian attack on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, Arakhamia said that during talks on Thursday, Ukrainian negotiators proposed a 30-kilometer conflict-free zone around all nuclear facilities in Ukraine, “and then Zap happened immediately.”