Ukrainian President Calls for Humanitarian Ceasefires to Enable Prisoner Releases

Politics / Europe / Ukraine / Negotiations: Ukrainian President calls for humanitarian ceasefires to enable prisoner releases Brussels, November 13 (KUNA) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Friday for intensified diplomatic efforts and the achievement of humanitarian ceasefires that would allow for the release of prisoners. Zelenskyy said in a post on the social media platform X, following his meeting in Dublin, the Irish capital, with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, that “the first humanitarian outcome is the release of prisoners, and we are counting on the largest prisoner exchange operation since the start of this war.” He added that the second outcome involves the more effective involvement of European representatives in the diplomatic process, ensuring they have an equal seat at the negotiating table, and affirmed that Ukraine always defends the interests of all of Europe. He further clarified that both sides are also working to prepare for additional multilateral meetings, stressing that diplomatic efforts will remain ongoing and active. The two U.S. envoys met with the Ukrainian president after their talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Putin insisted on Russia’s demands regarding Ukrainian territories that Moscow claims to have annexed and rejected the deployment of foreign peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, arguing that their presence would mean “continuation of the war.” Putin also rejected proposals to establish demilitarized zones between Russian and Ukrainian forces, asserting that international borders are the only line of separation acceptable to Moscow. He warned that any foreign forces deployed in Ukraine would be considered “legitimate targets.” These developments follow U.S.-Russian-Ukrainian talks hosted in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, earlier this week, amid U.S. efforts to directly involve Europeans in upcoming negotiations. (End) A.R.N. / M.A.H.A.