Ukraine, US teams conclude talks, new POW exchange possible, Zelenskiy says

On Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that the Ukrainian and U.S. delegations had concluded their'second day' of talks on ways to end a four-year war with Russia.

The talks that began in Florida on Sunday were without Russian participants. Originally, they were expected to attend negotiations in Abu Dhabi.

The U.S. delegation is led by Steve Witkoff, a special envoy and Jared Kushner - President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law. In an evening speech, Zelenskiy stated that "it is clear the U.S. side's attention is currently focused on the situation around Iran and the greater region. But Russia's war against Ukraine must also come to an end."

There are signs that more (prisoner-of-war) exchanges may take place. This would be a very positive development and confirm that diplomacy works. He added, "We hope that this will be realized."

Zelenskiy?didn't specify if the talks would be continued, when they could take place or what format.

On Sunday, he had urged his allies to continue to apply sanctions to Russia. He also called for tougher measures against the so-called "shadow fleet" of Russian tankers that are used to circumvent sanctions and to deny Moscow oil revenue.

"Russia's Shadow Fleet must not feel secure in European waters, or anywhere else." "Tankers that are used to fund the war budget must be stopped, and not just allowed to go," said he.

Washington temporarily lifted some sanctions on Russian Oil to cope with the supply shortages due to war in Iran. European countries haven't done this.

PEACE is won through war

The U.S. peace plan would also require Ukraine to hold a presidential vote and make territorial concessions. Zelenskiy's term has already expired and Trump is now putting renewed pressure on him to hold an election as Washington urges Kyiv toward a peace agreement. Zelenskiy said Ukraine would be prepared to hold democratic election if the U.S. obtained a two-month ceasefire so that infrastructure could be built and security measures put in place. Former Ukraine's top general Valeriy Zaluzhnyi is now the ambassador to Britain, and considered a possible presidential candidate. He said that Ukraine didn't need to stop fighting in order to vote.

In an article published by Ukrainian outlet NV on Sunday, he said: "What Ukraine really needs is peace, won through war. This will ensure a better future for our kids." (Reporting and editing by Jane Merriman, Peter Graff and Pavel Polityuk)

(source: Reuters)