Kyiv: Ukraine and the United States reopened sensitive discussions on Wednesday on territorial issues and the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as diplomatic efforts continue to explore a possible path toward ending the war with Russia.
Ukrainian officials said the talks again focused on land under Russian occupation, especially in eastern Ukraine, and on control of Europe’s largest nuclear power facility. The discussions are part of a wider effort led by Washington to assess what conditions could support a future ceasefire, even as Russia is not directly involved in these talks.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has made it clear that Ukraine will not accept any permanent loss of territory without public approval. Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly said that any decision on land concessions must be put to a national referendum, reflecting strong public resistance to formally giving up occupied regions.
One of the most difficult issues remains the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been under Russian control since the early months of the war. US officials have discussed ideas such as shared or internationally supervised management to reduce safety risks and ensure a stable power supply. Ukraine, however, insists that the plant must remain Ukrainian and that any cooperation should involve Kyiv and its partners, not Moscow.
Alongside these talks, Zelenskiy is seeking a fresh meeting with US President Donald Trump to press for long term security guarantees. Ukrainian officials say such guarantees are essential before any ceasefire, as Kyiv wants firm assurances that Russia would not regroup and launch another attack.
The renewed discussions follow a meeting of Ukraine’s allies in Paris earlier this week, where the United States and several European countries signaled stronger and more concrete security commitments for Ukraine in the event of a truce.
Despite the diplomatic momentum, major differences remain. Russia has not accepted the ideas being discussed, and fighting continues along the front lines. Ukrainian and US officials say the current talks are exploratory, aimed at clarifying positions rather than reaching a final agreement.
Even so, the renewed focus on land issues and nuclear safety underlines growing international concern about the long term risks of the conflict and the urgency of finding a stable and lasting solution.