Occupied territories to be sensitive issue in negotiations – Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelensky made this statement during a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, a Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Any negotiations are a fragile ability to end the war. Especially when it comes to the Russians, who demonstrate their unwillingness to end the war. As for the territories, this will probably be one of the sensitive and difficult issues in the upcoming negotiations," Zelensky said.

The head of state also emphasized that in any case, the first step toward a truce would be a ceasefire.

"The first step will still be a ceasefire, even if certain steps need to be taken to reach it. For example, 'silence in the sky' and 'silence at sea.' But ultimately, it will lead to silence along the entire front line. These are the right steps if we genuinely want to end the war with a just peace," he added.

According to the President, only after agreeing on a ceasefire will the parties move on to discuss other important issues during the upcoming negotiations.

"I am confident that territorial issues will be raised among them. For us, the 'red line' is the recognition of Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories as Russian. This is something we will not accept," Zelensky stressed.

As Ukrinform reported, on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Russian leader Putin. The discussion lasted over an hour and a half.

The Trump administration stated that the Russian side agreed to a limited ceasefire on energy and infrastructure facilities in Ukraine as part of a U.S.-proposed peace initiative for Ukraine.

According to Steve Witkoff, the U.S. President's Special Envoy for the Middle East, the U.S. and Russian delegations will hold a new round of ceasefire negotiations regarding the Russia-Ukraine war on Sunday, March 23, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.