LONDON, December 22. /TASS/. The issue of territorial concessions by Ukraine in Donbass is hampering the conflict settlement process, US Vice President JD Vance has stated.
He also noted progress on the Ukraine front during the negotiations with Russian Presidential Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Miami.
TASS has compiled the key statements by the US vice president.
On negotiation process
There was progress on the Ukraine front during the negotiations with Russian Presidential Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Miami: "So the breakthrough that I do feel that we’ve made is that all of the issues are actually out in the open."
There has been progress in efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, yet there is still no absolute certainty that it can be settled peacefully: "I would not say with confidence that we are going to get to a peaceful resolution. I think there is a good chance we will, I think there is a good chance we won’t."
Possible shared control over the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant located on Russian territory is being discussed at the negotiations on Ukraine: "Who controls the [Zaporozhzhye] nuclear facility? Can it be jointly controlled? Does it need to be controlled by one or more side?".
The status of Russian speakers in Ukraine is being addressed during negotiations: "What ultimately happens with ethnic Russians who are still in Ukraine? What happens with the ethnic Ukrainians who are still in Russia?".
Territorial issues
The issue of territorial concessions by Ukraine in Donbass is hampering the conflict settlement process: "So that territorial concession is a significant hold-up in the negotiations."
Ukraine understands that it will "eventually" lose the rest of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR): "The Ukrainians understandably see that as a major security problem, [even as] they privately acknowledge that eventually, they’ll probably lose Donetsk."