Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi on Saturday (December 20th) rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that Moscow could halt strikes to allow Ukraine to hold presidential elections, stressing that Russia has no authority over Ukraine’s electoral process.
“It is not Putin who decides when and in what format elections will be held in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with journalists.
Ban on voting in territories occupied by Russia
Zelenskyy has ruled out holding elections in areas currently occupied by Russian forces, saying any vote must take place exclusively in territory controlled by Kyiv.
He said elections could only be held if security conditions were guaranteed, stressing that active hostilities made voting impossible in the occupied regions.
Preparations for foreign elections begin
Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s foreign ministry had begun initial work on building the infrastructure needed to allow Ukrainians living abroad to vote in any future elections.
Since the full Russian invasion in 2022, millions of Ukrainians have been displaced overseas.
Security is a prerequisite for elections
The Ukrainian leader stressed that elections can be held when national security is ensured and pointed to ongoing Russian attacks across the country.
He said the situation in the Odesa region remains “harsh” after recent Russian strikes, adding that Moscow is trying to limit Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea.
EU funding strengthens Kyiv’s negotiating position
Zelenskyy said that the European Union’s recent decisions on financing Ukraine strengthened Kyiv’s position in future negotiations.
Red lines on territory and compromise
Zelenskyy reaffirmed that Ukrainian control over the unoccupied parts of the Donbas region remains a principled position.
He said any compromise would involve both sides halting military operations along the current front lines, while warning that the allies had begun to slow the supply of air defense missiles.
Diplomacy in the middle of an ongoing war
Ukraine continues to push for international support as fighting continues, with Zelenskiy saying democratic processes cannot continue under occupation or permanent military threat.
US proposes talks in Miami involving Ukraine and Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the United States had proposed holding talks between Ukrainian and Russian teams in Miami, where officials are meeting for another round of diplomacy aimed at ending the nearly four-year war.
“As I understand it, they proposed this format: Ukraine, America, Russia,” Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv, adding that European representatives could also be present.
The decision depends on the discussions between the US and Ukraine
Zelenskyy said Kiev would decide on the format only after assessing whether renewed bilateral talks with US negotiators, which resumed on Friday, would yield positive results.
Limited details on the Trump administration’s proposal
Speaking to journalists, Zelenskyy did not go into details about the format proposed by the administration of President Donald Trump.
American negotiators were scheduled to meet with Russian officials in Florida on Saturday.
Rubio rules out that he would force Kyiv to come to an agreement
Trump’s envoys are pushing a plan that would see the United States offer security guarantees to Ukraine, although Kiev would be expected to give up some territory — a prospect that has sparked strong opposition in Ukraine.
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Washington would not impose any settlement on Kiev. “There is no peace deal unless Ukraine agrees to it,” Rubio said, adding that he may join the talks in Miami, his hometown.
Russian envoy signals arrival in Miami
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a key figure in Moscow’s outreach, said in a post on X that he was “on his way to Miami” and shared a video of sunlight breaking through clouds over a beach.
“As warmongers continue to work overtime to undermine the US peace plan for Ukraine, I am reminded of this video from my previous visit – light breaking through storm clouds,” he wrote.
The talks mark a shift in the diplomatic approach
Ukraine and Russia last held direct official talks in July in Istanbul, resulting in a prisoner exchange but little concrete progress. Since then, US-backed shuttle diplomacy has intensified, with Washington previously conducting separate negotiations with each side.
The possible involvement of Russian and European representatives would represent a shift away from this approach, although direct negotiations between Russian and European officials seem unlikely due to deeply strained relations.
Moscow has repeatedly argued that European involvement would hinder negotiations, often portraying European leaders as pro-war.
Fighting continues despite diplomacy
The diplomatic pressure comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed on Friday to continue the military offensive and praised the Moscow battlefield gains during his annual news conference.
Russia said on Saturday that its forces had captured two villages in Ukraine’s Sumy and Donetsk regions and were continuing to advance in eastern Ukraine amid heavy fighting.
