Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that he was ready for direct talks with Moscow once Kyiv reached a common position with the United States and Europe on how to end the Ukraine war.
He also said Donald Trump had not finalized his plan for how he wants to bring an end the conflict, two days after the U.S. President held phone calls with both Zelensky and Russia's Vladimir Putin.
"We are ready for any conversations with America and our allies," said Zelensky.
"If they provide us with specific answers to specific requests from us and a common understanding of the dangerous Putin, then, with our unified understanding, we will be ready to talk with the Russians," he added.
The Ukrainian leader is in Munich where he will hold talks with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Vance said Washington could impose tougher sanctions on Moscow and send U.S. troops to Ukraine if Putin fails to negotiate a Ukraine peace deal in good faith.
Zelensky said Vance's comments "were strong," adding that "we are grateful for that."
On Wednesday, Trump said he held a phone call with Putin, during which the two agreed to begin ceasefire negotiations for the war in Ukraine.
That phone call, along with Trump's comments that Ukraine is unlikely to reclaim all of its lost territory or achieve NATO membership as part of any potential settlement, stunned European officials and raised concerns that Kyiv may be sidelined in discussions about its own future.
However, Trump has yet to outline specific terms for a possible peace settlement, which will most likely need support both from Kyiv and Europe in order for it to be enforced.
"I don't see that the U.S. has a plan ready," Zelensky said Friday.
AFP contributed reporting.
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