Ceasefire monitoring framework 90% ready, only political decision required – Kyslytsya
The main elements of the architecture of the system for monitoring and verifying ceasefire violations have already been developed.
Sergiy Kyslytsya, First Deputy Head of the Office of the President, stated this on television, Ukrinform reports.
"The rounds of negotiations that have already taken place [referring to peace talks between the delegations of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia in Abu Dhabi and Geneva] indicate that we are at a stage where the military group has completed 90% of its work. We have reached the point where the remaining work cannot be completed because political decisions are required," Kyslytsya said.
According to him, after an appropriate political decision on a ceasefire is adopted, it will take a couple of meetings to fully finalize the work of the military group.
"The value [of the military group’s work] lies in the fact that we proceed from the understanding that all the main elements of the architecture of the system for monitoring and verifying violations of a cessation of hostilities or a ceasefire are already acceptable," he noted.
At the same time, he stressed that adopting a political decision on a ceasefire or cessation of hostilities requires a meeting of the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia.
"The work of the military group is very important, but it will only be useful if there is a political decision. I think there is a chance. Yesterday [February 25] there was a very positive, constructive conversation between two presidents – President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump – and I personally heard, being present during that conversation, that both sides are ready, in the event of adequate actions by the Russian side, for us to see positive shifts in the near future," Kyslytsya said.
As reported earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky, following negotiations in Geneva, stated that there is progress on military issues, specifically on monitoring the ceasefire, while on political issues – territories, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and other sensitive matters – the positions of the parties remain different.
During a phone conversation, as reported by Axios, Trump told Zelensky that he would work on organizing a summit of the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia if the next meeting of American, Russian, and Ukrainian negotiators shows progress.