Zelensky outlines stages of peace negotiations: first Ukraine and Europe, then the US and Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the planned schedule for peace negotiations, saying the process will proceed in several successive stages involving Ukraine, European partners, the United States, and Russia.

Zelensky spoke about this while answering journalists’ questions in an audio format.

According to him, after a meeting with the U.S. president, the negotiating teams of the two countries held a separate, lengthy meeting at which they discussed the details. The next step is to inform the European side and discuss those details with it.

“We had a meeting with the U.S. president, we discussed general issues. After that, our negotiating teams held a separate, lengthy meeting at which they discussed the relevant details. The agreement is as follows: we will inform and discuss these details with the European side. The Americans will talk with the Russians, and in 10 days we will come back with one opinion or another and with a result,” — Zelensky said.

The Kremlin also commented on the negotiating process. Dmitry Peskov, press secretary to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stated that trilateral talks involving Russia, the United States, and Ukraine “may take place in the near future, but there are no specifics yet.”

In parallel, the prospect of trilateral negotiations to conclude an energy and maritime ceasefire is being discussed. U.S. President Donald Trump previously did not rule out the possibility of holding a trilateral meeting with the leaders of Ukraine and Russia on the sidelines of the G20 summit, scheduled for December 14–15 in Miami. Zelensky has already expressed support for such a format.

The day before, Zelensky also outlined an American de-escalation plan, which includes a ceasefire targeting energy infrastructure facilities, the resumption of the Black Sea grain corridor, and the holding of a trilateral meeting between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.