President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky once again notes that Ukraine is constantly initiating steps to advance in the process of ending the war and peaceful settlement in the Donbas and is ready for negotiations in any format with the participation of the Russian Federation. He said this on December 21 during a conversation with the media representatives within the framework of the conference of ambassadors of Ukraine "Diplomacy 30. Strategy of Strong State" in Huta of the Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, - the press service of the President reports.
Zelensky told that negotiations were continuing these days within the framework of the trilateral contact group.
"I do not know about Russia, but we definitely expect that our three initiatives will be taken into account – understandable questions to which, I believe, everyone is ready: on ceasefire (there are some details on verifying the ceasefire regime)… On opening of the checkpoints – this is the second question. I do not see what the problem is there, only the desire of one side is needed. And exchange –also the desire is needed", - Zelensky said.
According to him, if the other side has a corresponding desire, it is quite possible to reach agreements on the implementation of these points even before the New Year holidays.
"We are constantly preparing and initiating different documents and different steps, so that we are not reproached for not wanting something. We are not just talking. We say that we are ready to do it", - the President said.
Zelensky has also once again emphasized that he is ready for direct negotiations with the President of the Russian Federation in any format. According to him, Ukraine even proposed ten steps that can be carried out with the involvement of the member states of the Normandy format and the USA.
"We passed these steps to President Biden, the Russian side, France and Germany", - Zelensky reported.
"We are ready for direct dialogue, we do not care in what format. We need readiness", - the President said.
According to him, work is underway on possible negotiations in different formats.
"There is a Normandy format. There is a conversation between the President of the United States of America and the President of Russia, and there are conversations between the security advisers of these states. We have different conversations. There is a multi-vector conversation going on", - Zelensky noted.