Sergiy Kyslytsya, first deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office and a key member of the country’s negotiation team since 2025, discussed Ukraine’s current position in peace negotiations during an interview in Kyiv. Kyslytsya previously served as Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations, where he was the only Ukrainian diplomat maintaining direct contact with Russian officials after the full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022.
Official U.S.-mediated negotiations have stalled since early this year as the Trump administration has prioritized its focus on Iran, though Kyslytsya indicated that dialogue between Ukrainian and American officials, as well as occasional Russian envoys, remains active. He reaffirmed Ukraine’s negotiating stance of freezing fighting along the current frontline while rejecting any recognition of Russian-occupied territories. Kyslytsya characterized Russian demands, particularly the “3+2” proposal that would grant Russia control over five Ukrainian regions, as unrealistic. He noted that Moscow continues to claim it can capture the remaining unoccupied portions of Donetsk region within two to three months.
Kyslytsya emphasized that the conflict has evolved into a modern warfare scenario where Ukraine maintains strategic advantages. He pointed to Ukraine’s long-range drone operations, which have repeatedly targeted Russian oil and gas infrastructure, creating fuel shortages and constraining Moscow’s capacity to sustain military operations. He argued that Russian forces are no longer achieving meaningful battlefield progress, a reality he said is increasingly apparent to both international partners and the United States.
In June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a public letter to Vladimir Putin proposing direct talks between the two leaders. Kyslytsya suggested such a meeting could occur later this year and potentially yield a major breakthrough, though Putin stated last month he saw no purpose in it. Kyslytsya contended that if Ukraine continues its current military strategy, circumstances could eventually compel the Russian leadership to engage in negotiations to end the war.
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