Senior Ukraine official says Kyiv not yet ready for talks with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff said in an interview broadcast late on Thursday that Kyiv was not yet ready to start talks with Russia as it lacked the weapons, security guarantees, and international status it sought.

Andriy Yermak's comments to public broadcaster Suspilne come as Zelenskyy publicly considers the possibility of a negotiated settlement to the war with Russia, launched by Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

"Not just yet today," Yermak told Suspilne when asked whether Ukraine was ready to begin talks.

"We don't have the weapons; we don't have the status that we are talking about. And that means an invitation to NATO and an understanding of clear guarantees that would provide for us so that we could be sure that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin won't be coming back in two-three years."

In comments this week alongside German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wanted an end to the war, and efforts were needed to make his country stronger and oblige the Kremlin to work towards peace.

Reuters