Zelenskiy says there is ‘window’ for Russia peace deal ahead of Dublin talks

A “window of opportunity” exists to make progress on peace talks with Russia before the end of the year, Ukrainian president Volodmyr Zelenskiy has said in Dublin.

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to fly into Dublin on Thursday to brief Zelenskiy, having travelled from talks in Abu Dhabi to Moscow, where they were to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Following a bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Dublin on Wednesday, Zelenskiy suggested the opportunity came amid political changes which may potentially follow European elections next year and changes under way in US politics as well.

Zelenskiy is in Dublin to attend a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC), which Ireland is hosting as part of its presidency of the council of the European Union.

Ahead of the talks with the US envoys, Zelenskiy said: “I think that it’s important for this negotiating team to get the result this year, based on what we’re saying. It seems to me they really want that to happen.”

The Ukrainian president said he expected to be briefed on the reaction from the Russian side to matters raised during the Abu Dhabi talks, including on the scale of prisoner-of-war exchanges.

He was also expecting briefings on the format for security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, an energy ceasefire and a potential “trilateral” meeting between leaders.

He said he wanted “very concrete” answers on security guarantees from the US, while also emphasising it was “impossible” for Ukraine to consider giving up the Donbas region as part of a settlement.

“I expect to receive answers to this and to meet with them tomorrow evening in Dublin,” he said. “The Americans are flying [to Moscow] with concrete, specific things to Putin, I would really like them to come to Dublin with specific things.” he added.

Zelenskiy said work on sanctions cannot be relaxed, both in terms of those applying to individuals and to businesses through which Russia can source components and equipment for weapons production.

While the Ukrainian president made no direct mention of Irish exports of alumina to Russia, he said; “We ask all our partners in Europe and around the world to focus on this.

“We need to restrict Russia’s weapons production. This is one of the best ways to push Russia towards real dialogue, real steps towards peace.”

Following the meeting between the two leaders, Martin emphasised any peace agreement must recognise the sovereignty of Ukraine, its territorial integrity, and the right of the Ukrainian people to determine their own future.

“We have put Ukraine at the heart of our European presidency programme,” the Taoiseach said, adding that “as much progress as possible” has been made on accession talks.

He pledged Ireland will do all it can to open the two remaining “negotiating clusters” in this process before its presidency ends. Zelenskiy said it would be “an extremely important result” to do so by the end of the year.

Zelenskiy said that Ireland had always shown a “full understanding” of the situation in Ukraine and how “unjust Russia’s aggression is”.

Both men emphasised the importance of a European voice at the negotiating table, as Zelenskiy suggested the Americans are warming to this position. He said he wants Europeans to be not on the sidelines, but participating on an equal footing.

Martin said European leaders would have discussions about who would represent Europe in peace negotiations at an informal meeting of EU leaders in Dublin on Friday.

He said he expected to be “in a position to bring clarity” to that. “There has to be a European voice at the table when our interests are discussed,” he said.

Asked if he wanted EU countries, including Ireland, to send Ukrainians back to their home country if they have not completed their military service, Zelenskiy said there were complex situations around how people had left Ukraine.

However, he added he wanted those people who were eligible for military service to return.

Martin said: “We don’t envisage pursuing people in that context in terms of sending people back and I don’t think that’s a dynamic we’ve ever been asked to engage in.”