Ukraine ready for talks in "any format" after ceasefire but won’t cede territory: Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Kiev is prepared to engage in talks in any format once a potential ceasefire with Russia is established, but will not accept any territorial concessions, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported.

The Ukrainian delegation, which is set to meet with foreign representatives in London this week, will have a mandate to negotiate a full or partial ceasefire, Zelensky told a media conference in Kiev.

Zelensky expressed hope that Russia is also open to dialogue, while emphasizing that Ukraine will never recognize any occupied territories as part of Russia.

On Monday, the president noted that an unconditional ceasefire must be the first step toward peace, adding that Ukraine is ready to continue moving forward "in the most constructive way" to achieve an unconditional ceasefire.

On the same day, Zelensky said Ukraine maintains its offer not to strike at civilian infrastructure and expects a clear response from Russia. He added that Ukraine is ready for any dialogue on how to ensure this commitment.

The most reliable way is to stop missile and long-range drone strikes, which would automatically guarantee the preservation of all civilian infrastructure, Zelensky said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded on Tuesday that there are no specific plans for talks between Russia and Ukraine in this regard.

Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed his readiness to discuss the issue. But there were no specific details.

Peskov pointed to nuances regarding the proposal, such as when civilian infrastructure could become a military target, citing the example of militants using a civilian facility for a meeting.

The spokesman also noted that Ukraine must remove legal barriers to enable direct talks with Moscow.

In October 2022, Zelensky signed an order to halt "shadow" negotiations between Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council and Putin.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he would reveal the contents of his proposed peace plan for the conflict "over the next three days."

The following day, Zelensky said that the U.S. plan is not a formal proposal.

Ukraine ready for talks in "any format" after ceasefire but won’t cede territory: Zelensky

Officials from the European Union (EU) and Finland have voiced concerns after the White House said it has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a press briefing in Cairo on Thursday that the message from the U.S. is "extremely concerning," and "not really helping the stability of the world."

Kallas called on all parties to stick to international law, adding that relevant response measures has been discussed among EU members.

"The international law is very clear, and we have to stick to it. It is clear that it is the only thing that protects smaller countries, and that is why it is in the interest of all of us. And we discussed this today, as well, that we uphold the international law on all levels," she said.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Thursday described recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Greenland as "worrying," while reiterating Finland's support for Denmark and Greenland's right to self-determination.

"Finland and the other Nordic countries have exceptional expertise in Arctic conditions, and we are happy to make use of that together with our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to strengthen Arctic security, but it cannot be done by threatening allies," she said at a press conference at Finnish parliament after an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "unprecedented" for threats of violence to be made within NATO against another member in connection with seizing territory, adding that such threats run counter to the United Nations Charter and that their inconsistency with international law should be underscored at all levels.

EU, Finnish officials express concerns over US remarks on Greenland