Ukraine, US to turn Geneva points into framework for achieving peace and security: Zelenskyy

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Ukraine and the US will work together later this week to turn points agreed on during talks in Geneva into a concrete framework aimed at achieving peace and securing long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.

In a statement, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian and American delegations will meet to “translate the points we secured in Geneva into a form that puts us on the path to peace and security guarantees,” adding that the Ukrainian side will be “well-prepared and focused on substantive work.”

He said Kyiv remains in constant contact with the US and its European partners while also briefing allies “in other parts of the world,” noting that Ukraine is “doing everything possible” to maintain sufficient defense capabilities.

US and Ukrainian officials met in Geneva on Sunday to discuss a peace framework for the Russia-Ukraine war which originated from a draft 28-point proposal. The talks focused on refining the proposal, which includes conditions for a ceasefire and potential settlement of the conflict.

Zelenskyy also met with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze, presenting her with the Order of Merit, Second Class, for her support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He praised Latvia’s role in reconstruction efforts and its leadership in the Drone Coalition, a group of countries co-led by the UK and Latvia that provides a steady supply of drones and other unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities to Ukraine.

“This year, it has supplied Ukraine with about 12,000 drones, and this is vital support for our defense,” he said on Telegram, noting that both sides also discussed the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, a NATO-led effort to rapidly supply Ukraine with US-manufactured weapons and equipment by coordinating financial contributions from NATO and other partner countries, and the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) mechanism for Ukraine, an EU funding instrument that allows Ukraine to participate in joint European defense procurement and production, as well as sanctions pressure on Russia.

In another statement, Zelenskyy said he spoke with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof about the diplomatic track following adviser-level talks in Geneva and the latest meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, a coalition of 34 countries led by Britain and France that have pledged strengthened support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.

He said Kyiv expects “constructive cooperation with all partners” to sustain momentum toward peace.