Zelenskyy: US elections opened a window for talks with Russia — Kyiv urged Europe to choose a representative by November

In Dublin, on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that political changes in the US following the midterm elections and in other countries are opening a "window of opportunity" for negotiations with Russia. At the same time, the US President's son-in-law Jared Kushner spoke about preparations for a large-scale prisoner exchange, which, according to Zelenskyy, could involve about 1,200 people.

Window of Opportunity

The statement came a week after the US midterm elections, in which Democrats won a majority in Congress. According to Zelenskyy, Washington is increasingly receptive to Europe's participation in negotiations. He stressed that all participants in the peace process aim to achieve results before 2027, as the political landscape in Europe may change next year. In his estimation, if all parties join the negotiations, progress could emerge as early as the beginning of 2027.

Europe as an Equal

Zelenskyy urged European allies to finally elect their representative for the negotiations. "We want Europe not to be on the margins, not on the sidelines of meetings. We want it to participate on an equal footing next time, because that is absolutely fair," he stated. "We need to choose who will represent Europe. We need to choose specific European leaders. We need to do this in November," the president emphasized in Dublin. Until now, European countries have failed to agree on who will speak on their behalf. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in a letter to European Council President António Costa, warned that the lack of coordination among Europeans plays into the hands of those interested in prolonging the war.

Prisoner Exchange

Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner spoke about preparations for a large-scale prisoner exchange. According to him, the most difficult part of the negotiations remains territorial issues, but the parties are discussing a substantial exchange. Zelenskyy clarified that it could encompass about 1,200 prisoners.

Contacts in Dublin

Following negotiations in Abu Dhabi, Trump's envoys are continuing contacts with the parties. According to Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet with Vladimir Putin in the first half of the day on November 12, after which Zelenskyy will be waiting for them in Dublin. The Ukrainian president's meeting with the American envoys took place on Wednesday in Dublin, where he also met with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin ahead of the European Political Community summit, which will bring together more than 50 leaders from Europe and other regions of the world.