Ukraine will never recognize the territories annexed by Russia as part of the Russian Federation and will not withdraw from the parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions controlled by it. This was stated by a Ukrainian diplomat on condition of anonymity, a BBC correspondent reported.
The diplomat has provided additional details about the negotiations between the US and Ukraine in Jeddah, which were not included in the official joint statement of the two countries. According to him, the issue of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the occupied territories was discussed, but not the issue of territorial concessions on the part of the Ukrainian side. He explained that Ukraine will never recognize these territories as Russian and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement refers to the de facto occupation of these territories by Russia in the event of a ceasefire, but not to their transfer to Moscow.
During the negotiations, there was no demand for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions under their control, which Russia has included in its constitution. The diplomat said that US military assistance and the exchange of intelligence data were resumed just an hour after the end of the meeting in Jeddah.
The issue of the exchange of prisoners of war was a priority for Ukraine, with Kiev insisting that this point be included in the joint statement. The Ukrainian side expects that if Russia accepts the 30-day ceasefire, it will lead to an intensification of negotiations on the exchange of prisoners.
The talks in Jeddah lasted more than eight hours, which, according to the Ukrainian diplomat, emphasizes the depth and constructiveness of the dialogue. At the beginning, the Ukrainian side proposed a ceasefire in the air and sea space, and the second part of the meeting was devoted to a complete ceasefire.
The presence of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region was also discussed, but no requirement was made for Ukraine to withdraw its troops as a condition for a ceasefire. The diplomat emphasized that Ukraine's agreement to the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire is a compromise and that the main goal is to show Kiev's commitment to the peace process in order to end the war.
The ceasefire agreement will also include a halt to drone attacks. The consequences of violating the ceasefire have not yet been discussed, but the Ukrainian side is ready to provide technical teams to monitor compliance with the agreements. According to the diplomat, the US has developed a concept for organizing monitoring of the ceasefire regime.