In a statement on December 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky once again emphasized absolute confidence in the role of US President Donald Trump in ending the conflict with Russia. He affirmed that the power to end the conflict is truly in the US and that finding alternative solutions is meaningless due to uncertainty.
Although Middle Eastern countries, Europe and China can participate at different levels, Mr. Zelensky said that no one has enough influence and motivation as strong as the US to lead this process to the end.
The statement comes as the Ukrainian delegation led by Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov held an important meeting with Western officials on December 19. Pressure is mounting on Kiev as the Trump administration is steadily pushing for territorial cuts as part of a broader peace effort.
Going into the details of the negotiations, President Zelensky pointed out the names of the three biggest " kemicals" that are blocking the negotiations. The top and most difficult problems remain the issue of territory, followed by the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and finally the huge funding source for the reconstruction.
Regarding the dispute in Donbas, Mr. Zelensky revealed that the US side has proposed turning the Donetsk region controlled by Ukraine into a free economic zone. Accordingly, this area is still under the authority of Kiev but the Ukrainian army had to withdraw.
However, the Ukrainian leader has flatly rejected the scenario if there is a lack of mutual support. He argued that the Russian military has always waited for the opportunity to invade, so all withdrawal moves must be carried out according to the principle of "stepping in the mirror" - meaning that if Ukraine retreats 5km, the enemy must do the same. He is determined that the most honest option at the moment is to keep the front line instead of unsafe negotiations.
In addition, the issue of sharing control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is also at a standstill due to technical barriers. Experts warn that separating power between Europe and Russia's two unsynchronized power grids is impossible and poses serious security risks.
Currently, Washington is also proposing to organize tripartite talks including the US, Ukraine and Russia. Although Mr. Zelensky believes that this format is difficult to resolve the root cause of the conflict, it can bring results in humanitarian aspects such as Prisoner exchanges.
