Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Kiev is prepared to engage in talks in any format once a potential ceasefire with Russia is established, but will not accept any territorial concessions, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported.
The Ukrainian delegation, which is set to meet with foreign representatives in London this week, will have a mandate to negotiate a full or partial ceasefire, Zelensky told a media conference in Kiev.
Zelensky expressed hope that Russia is also open to dialogue, while emphasizing that Ukraine will never recognize any occupied territories as part of Russia.
On Monday, the president noted that an unconditional ceasefire must be the first step toward peace, adding that Ukraine is ready to continue moving forward "in the most constructive way" to achieve an unconditional ceasefire.
On the same day, Zelensky said Ukraine maintains its offer not to strike at civilian infrastructure and expects a clear response from Russia. He added that Ukraine is ready for any dialogue on how to ensure this commitment.
The most reliable way is to stop missile and long-range drone strikes, which would automatically guarantee the preservation of all civilian infrastructure, Zelensky said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded on Tuesday that there are no specific plans for talks between Russia and Ukraine in this regard.
Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed his readiness to discuss the issue. But there were no specific details.
Peskov pointed to nuances regarding the proposal, such as when civilian infrastructure could become a military target, citing the example of militants using a civilian facility for a meeting.
The spokesman also noted that Ukraine must remove legal barriers to enable direct talks with Moscow.
In October 2022, Zelensky signed an order to halt "shadow" negotiations between Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council and Putin.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would reveal the contents of his proposed peace plan for the conflict "over the next three days."
The following day, Zelensky said that the U.S. plan is not a formal proposal.
Ukraine ready for talks in "any format" after ceasefire but won’t cede territory: Zelensky
