"KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insisted that if a diplomatic end to the war cannot be struck during the current peace talks, his country would continue to defend itself against Russia's full-scale invasion. "If Russia blocks all of this -- and as I said, it depends on our partners -- if our partners do not compel Russia to stop the war, there will be another path: to defend ourselves," he said on January 3 ahead of another busy week of diplomacy."
"The comments echo those the Ukrainian leader expressed in his New Year's Eve address, when he stressed that a peace agreement with Russia can't come "at any cost." "What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No. We want an end to the war but not the end of Ukraine," Zelenskyy saidin the televised address. US President Donald Trump in November 2025 pressed Zelenskyy to accept a 28-point peace proposal that many saw as heavily favoring Russia."
"Zelenskyy spoke as security advisers from 15 allies met in the Ukrainian capital, discussing fine points of the developing peace plan, including potential security guarantees for Ukraine. Few details emerged from the session, but Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said participants "discussed security guarantees, points of the peace plan, economic recovery, and military-political issues." Umerov asserted that "most of the positions -- 90 percent of the peace plan -- have already been agreed, work continues on the details.""
Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine prefers a diplomatic end to the war but will continue to defend itself if negotiations fail and partners do not compel Russia to stop. A reported 90 percent of a peace plan is said to be agreed, while the remaining 10 percent remains difficult to finalize. Former US pressure pushed a 28-point proposal seen as favoring Russia, prompting Ukraine and European allies to propose a 20-point counterplan emphasizing security guarantees and territorial integrity. Security advisers from 15 allies met in Kyiv to refine security guarantees, economic recovery, and military-political details.
Read at RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
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