President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on December 20, 2025, that Ukraine is prepared to support a United States initiative for trilateral negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia, and the US, provided such talks accelerate prisoner-of-war exchanges and create pathways to direct summits between national leaders. In a briefing to local journalists in Kyiv, Zelenskyy underscored the potential diplomatic value of this format while maintaining cautious optimism about its outcomes.

He revealed that Ukraine's chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, had updated him on productive discussions held with American counterparts in the United States on Friday, with an additional session scheduled for Saturday centred on frameworks for Ukraine's post-war reconstruction and economic recovery. Concurrently, Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev participated in separate meetings with US officials in Miami, highlighting intensified behind-the-scenes diplomatic activity.

The proposed trilateral engagement would occur at the level of national security advisers, a structure Zelenskyy described as acceptable if it yields tangible results. He explicitly stated that Ukraine would endorse the arrangement should it facilitate more prisoner swaps or secure commitments leading to a high-level leaders' meeting, emphasising Kyiv's pragmatic approach to any format that advances humanitarian and strategic objectives.

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On territorial issues, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine's firm stance against concessions, insisting that any equitable resolution must preserve the current contact line and retain Ukrainian sovereignty over controlled areas in the Donbas region. He framed this position as a non-negotiable principle, essential for protecting national integrity amid ongoing conflict.

Regarding a separate US suggestion to establish a free economic zone in eastern Ukraine, Zelenskyy clarified that ultimate decisions rest with the Ukrainian people through democratic processes. He affirmed that his administration is methodically reviewing every proposal to ensure agreements deliver enduring peace, comprehensive security guarantees, and avoid ambiguous divisions of territory or resources.

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