Donetsk Issue Remains Key Obstacle in Negotiations

According to U.S. Vice President Jay Di Vens, informal discussions between Kyiv representatives during the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have led them to reluctantly acknowledge difficult but realistic scenarios. He stated that the Ukrainian side does not entirely rule out the possibility of losing control over the Donetsk region in one way or another.

Vens mentioned that officially, Kyiv considers this issue a major security challenge. In particular, the possibility of Russia gaining full control over the entire Donetsk region is viewed as one of the most painful scenarios for Ukraine. However, during closed-door talks, Ukrainian negotiators have openly recognized the likelihood of surrendering this territory.

"They emphasize that such a loss may not happen immediately but could occur after 12 months or even later," said the U.S. Vice President. In his opinion, territorial disputes, especially the fate of the Donbas, remain one of the most serious obstacles in the negotiation process.

At the same time, Vens noted some progress between the parties. He pointed out that unlike before, all key issues are now being openly discussed, and there is "a clear understanding" of which topics are on the agenda and which are not.

Nevertheless, the U.S. Vice President avoided excessive optimism regarding achieving peace. "There is a possibility of reaching peace, but the likelihood of it not happening is just as significant," he said, candidly describing the situation.

It has been reported that negotiations continued over the weekend in Miami. A Russian delegation led by Kirill Dmitriev attended the talks. Following two days of meetings, the U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff described the discussions as "productive and constructive." However, the exact details of the conversations between the parties have not yet been disclosed.

In conclusion, negotiations are ongoing at the table, but as long as the Donetsk issue remains unresolved, reaching a major agreement continues to be a challenging and complex path.