Zelensky: “U.S.-mediated three-party end-of-war negotiations early next month”

Attention is being paid to whether Russia and Ukraine will respond favorably to the White House's announcement of a ceasefire in the Oleski region of Kherson Oblast, southern Ukraine, and whether this will serve as an opportunity to ease tensions.

According to Reuters and Associated Press on the 23rd (local time), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced his intention to agree to a ceasefire, saying that he welcomes the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump's wife Melania Trump to achieve a ceasefire in the Oleshki region.

He added, “Oleski residents can leave the city if they wish.”

Russian military authorities announced, "For the Oleski humanitarian operation, a ceasefire will be implemented in Kherson Oblast from 4 a.m. on the 27th, Moscow time."

David Arahamiya, a member of the ruling party who is Ukraine's chief negotiator, also wrote on social media that day, "A ceasefire will soon be established in Oleshiki," and "A permanent humanitarian route will be established to evacuate residents and deliver food."

Oleshiki is a Russian-occupied region of Ukraine where food and medical aid has been cut off for a long time, and residents are reportedly facing a survival crisis. The White House announced on this day that, through the mediation of First Lady Melania Trump, Russian and Ukrainian troops decided to stop fighting in Oleski.

The resumption of trilateral war ending negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States, was also officially confirmed on this day.

After meeting with the U.S. presidential envoys that day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he would hold working-level war-end negotiations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) early next month. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on the 21st and accepted a proposal to resume trilateral war ending negotiations.

With the two sides agreeing to a truce in Oleshiki and the resumption of previous negotiations, the conflict between the two sides, which has recently intensified, is expected to ease somewhat.

However, there are also observations that it will be difficult to expect clear progress in the end-of-war negotiations in a situation where both sides are at odds without concessions over Ukraine's Donbas region.

Previously, Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov virtually rejected the U.S. side's new war-ending plan, saying, "It lacks substantive content," and "The change in attitude of the European-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which the U.S. said it had detected, did not completely satisfy us."

There are also concerns that the Oleshiki ceasefire may have limited impact as it is a cessation of local fighting for humanitarian purposes. Despite Ukraine's repeated proposals for dialogue, Russia has maintained its position that "we need peace, not a ceasefire."