KYIV, Jan 6 (Reuters) – U.S. and Ukrainian officials discussed “some ideas” to address the issue of territory during peace talks to end Russia’s war on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday, describing the matter as the biggest remaining obstacle in the process.
Ukraine is under U.S. pressure to quickly secure a peace deal that could include painful concessions, but has refused to accept Russian demands that it cede land it still controls in eastern Donbas.
“The biggest issue that needs to be worked on is the territorial issue. We discussed some ideas that might help,” Zelenskiy said in Paris after a meeting with European allies to hash out security guarantees for Kyiv.
“If the teams are unable to resolve certain issues, the matter can be brought to the leaders’ level.”
Separately, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters that land options were discussed during the Paris talks, and that discussions would continue.
The Ukrainian delegation would remain in Paris for further consultations, Zelenskiy added.
Ukraine had said earlier that the U.S. offered the idea of a free economic zone if Kyiv withdraws from parts of the Donetsk region that Ukrainian forces still control.
(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; Writing by Dan Peleschuk. Editing by Mark Potter and Nia Williams)
