Zelenskyy on Normandy talks
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that he expects the Normandy Four to hold its first summit in two years and reach the necessary decisions to end the war in Donbas.
He said this during a meeting in Kyiv with the foreign policy advisers of the German chancellor and the French president, Jens Ploetner and Emmanuel Bonne respectively.
"It is time to substantively agree on ending the conflict, and we are ready for the necessary decisions during the new summit of the four leaders," Zelenskyy stressed.
Kuleba on Russia's demands to NATO
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is confident that Russia will not receive guarantees of NATO non-expansion.
In a commentary to RBC-Ukraine, he called this demand inadmissible.
"The big picture is already emerging. The Russian Federation has initiated talks on so-called 'security guarantees' in order to up the ante as much as possible by making unacceptable demands early on," Kuleba said.
"Russia does not have the right to vote on Ukraine's membership of NATO. This is a red line that neither Ukraine nor our partners are willing to cross. The collective West will not agree to give Russia 'legal guarantees' that the Alliance will not expand to the east, as this would be its strategic defeat," he added.
Kuleba-Blinken call
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during which the sides agreed further steps for Ukraine and the USA, in particular considering the next diplomatic contacts with the Russian Federation in the NATO-Russia Council and OSCE Permanent Council formats.
"Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine"
US President Joe Biden and Western partners have given Ukraine assurances that issues related to its security will not be discussed without its participation, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, has told journalists of leading European media.
"We have received guarantees from US President Joseph Biden and all our Western partners that any issues concerning our country and its security will not be discussed without its participation. And the principle 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine' will be respected during any negotiations," Yermak said, as quoted by the presidential office.
Canada
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has had a phone conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the presidential office has said.
Zelenskyy suggested that the two countries should update the Joint Declaration on the Special Partnership between Ukraine and Canada.
"Given the unprecedented nature of our bilateral relations, as well as new external challenges and priorities, I suggest we instruct our foreign ministers to update the Joint Declaration," the president said.