The minister noted that the key issues in the peace process remain the territorial question and control over the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
“The president is ready to meet with Putin to discuss ways to resolve these issues,” Sibiga added.
The head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry also emphasized that he does not see the need for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, urging to avoid creating “parallel tracks” in the negotiations. He reported that established negotiation groups consisting of representatives from the Foreign Ministry are already working on issues related to the ceasefire and its monitoring.
The negotiation process has intensified following trilateral consultations held in Abu Dhabi on January 23-24, which involved Ukraine, Russia, and the USA. U.S. Special Representative Steve Whitcoff characterized these meetings as constructive and confirmed the parties' readiness to continue dialogue, with the next meeting scheduled for February 1.
According to the Ukrainian side, the negotiations were substantive. Zelensky reported that a wide range of military and political issues related to the possibility of ceasing hostilities was discussed. He added that all points of the 20-point peace plan were reviewed, and the number of contentious issues has significantly decreased; however, the territorial question remains open.
Earlier, in September 2025, Putin expressed his readiness to meet with Zelensky in Moscow but expressed doubts about the feasibility of such a meeting. The Ukrainian president, in turn, rejected the trip to Moscow and proposed holding the meeting in Kyiv, noting that by putting forward unachievable proposals, Putin aims to create the illusion of readiness for dialogue with the United States.
