Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared his hope for a high-level peace summit in the United States by the end of January, as diplomatic efforts to end the war with Russia intensify. The announcement followed a meeting of security advisers from Ukraine's top allies in Kyiv on Saturday, marking day 1,411 of the conflict.
Kyiv Hosts Crucial Security Talks
Security officials from 15 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, alongside representatives from NATO and the European Union, convened in the Ukrainian capital. The talks centred on a US-brokered plan to end the war, with Kyiv recently suggesting a deal was "90%" ready.
The US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, joined the discussions virtually. However, the meeting was somewhat overshadowed by a US military attack on Venezuela earlier the same day, an event which Russia strongly condemned. Diplomatic negotiations are set to continue next week during a European leaders' meeting in Paris, followed by further talks with US negotiators.
"And after that … we will be preparing for a meeting in the United States at the leadership level," Zelenskyy stated. "We would like all of this to happen in January, by the end of January."
The Stumbling Block: Territory and Future Security
Despite the accelerated diplomacy, a significant chasm remains between Moscow and Kyiv on the core issue of territory. Russia, which occupies roughly 20% of Ukraine, continues to push for full control of the eastern Donbas region as part of any potential agreement.
Kyiv has repeatedly warned that ceding ground would only embolden the Kremlin. The Ukrainian leadership insists it will not sign any peace deal that fails to include robust mechanisms to deter a future Russian invasion. At a press conference on Saturday evening, Zelenskyy made his country's position unequivocal: if diplomacy fails, Ukraine will continue its defence.
"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," the president vowed.
Violence Continues Amid Diplomatic Push
The high-level talks capped a week scarred by continued deadly violence across Ukraine. Russia accused Kyiv of launching a drone attack on a hotel and cafe in the Moscow-occupied part of the Kherson region on Thursday, claiming 28 fatalities. Ukraine countered that the site was a military gathering.
In a separate incident, a Russian missile strike on the city of Kharkiv late on Friday killed a woman and a three-year-old child, according to the regional governor. Early on Saturday, further Russian bombardment in the Ukrainian-held part of the Kherson region left two more people dead.
Meanwhile, Russia used the allied meeting in Kyiv to voice fierce criticism of the United States over Venezuela. The Russian foreign ministry condemned the US attack as "an act of armed aggression" and demanded the release of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, a close Russian ally and major purchaser of Russian military hardware.
As diplomatic channels hum with activity, the situation on the ground underscores the immense challenges facing any peace process. With positions on territory seemingly entrenched and violence unabated, the path to a sustainable resolution remains fraught, even as world leaders seek a negotiated end to the prolonged conflict.
