(Bloomberg) -- Ukraine’s top diplomat warned against the emergence of “gray zones” in which Russia could cement its influence as he reinforced Kyiv’s refusal to consider territorial concessions.
“We need to eliminate gray zones, because Russia turns them into zones of influence,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in Malta Thursday at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, according to a statement. “Instead, we need geopolitical certainty on Ukraine as part of the Euro-Atlantic community.
Kyiv’s peace plan is ultimately for “Russia to get out of Ukraine and leave us alone,” Sybiha said during the OSCE gathering. He reiterated that Kyiv won’t accept any compromises on its territorial integrity, sovereignty, or future security.
Ukrainian allies are beginning to position for potential talks to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, shifting their focus away from securing a full victory as Kremlin forces advance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dispatched a team of officials to the US for talks on Wednesday as Kyiv prepares for Donald Trump’s return to the White House and his declared aim to end the war quickly.
Zelenskiy has signaled in recent interviews that a diplomatic solution is needed — and that he would accept an end to hostilities with parts of Ukraine occupied.
Russia has been gaining ground in Ukraine over the past year, keeping Kyiv on the defensive amid an acute shortage of troops and a constant need for more ammunition. Moscow’s forces also renewed large-scale missile barrages to target the country’s power system while attacks with dozens of explosive-laden Shahed drones have become a daily reality.
Ukraine won’t accept any “alternatives, surrogates or substitutes” for Ukraine’s full membership in NATO, Foreign Ministry said in a statement earlier this week.
READ: NATO Rushes Weapons to Ukraine to Boost Kyiv Before Truce Talks
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