Zelensky: Paris talks will address the fate of the territories and the Zaporizhzhia power plant
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the ongoing talks between Washington and Kyiv in the French capital, Paris, will address the "most difficult issues" related to the path to ending the war in Ukraine, referring in particular to the thorny issues related to the occupied territories and the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Details of the intensive talks
In statements published on his official social media accounts, Zelensky explained that a new round of talks would be held with the US president's envoys, noting that this would be the third such meeting in just two days, reflecting the intensity of the current diplomatic activity. The Ukrainian president said, "We expect to discuss the most complex issues for ending the war, specifically those related to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian control, as well as the territorial issue.".
The importance of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is of paramount strategic and security importance, not only for Ukraine but for the entire region. The largest nuclear power plant in Europe, it fell under Russian control in the early stages of the invasion that began in February 2022. Throughout the war, the plant remained a flashpoint of tension and international concern about a potential nuclear disaster resulting from crossfire or power outages affecting cooling systems. Kyiv insists that regaining full control of the plant is a prerequisite for any peace agreement to guarantee energy security and nuclear safety.
The dilemma of land and sovereignty
The issue of "territory" is the biggest obstacle in any potential negotiations, as the dispute centers on the regions unilaterally annexed by Russia (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia) in addition to the Crimean Peninsula. While Zelenskyy insists on the need to restore Ukraine's territorial integrity, Western diplomatic efforts are seeking a formula that guarantees a "peace with dignity" for Ukraine, a point Zelenskyy emphasized by stating that it depends on the partners' ability to ensure Russia's genuine willingness to end the war.
Alliance of the willing and security guarantees
These statements come amid significant developments in Paris, where the 35 member states of the so-called "coalition of the willing," mostly European countries, agreed on a plan to deploy a multinational force in Ukraine. This force aims to participate in monitoring any potential ceasefire under US leadership, immediately after a peace agreement is reached, as part of the robust security guarantees demanded by the West to prevent a resurgence of aggression in the future.
