Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Postponed Amid Escalating Tensions in the Middle East, Zelensky Says

Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the next round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, scheduled for this week and mediated by the United States, has been postponed due to the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East. While international attention is currently focused on the Middle East, Kyiv has indicated it is receiving offers of assistance from various countries regarding its experience in countering Iranian drones.

According to Zelensky, the United States and some allied nations in the Middle East are seeking cooperation with Ukraine on defensive measures against the Shahed drones being used by Iran. He noted that Ukraine has experience using thousands of Shahed drones since Russia launched its invasion four years ago. It was mentioned that Iran has recently responded to joint US-Israeli attacks on Iranian targets using the same type of drones.

The Iran-related conflict, now entering its sixth day, has somewhat diverted international attention from the Russia-Ukraine war, considered Europe's largest conflict since World War II. According to Western governments and analysts, millions of lives have been lost in the Russia-Ukraine war, but a year of US-led peace efforts has yet to signal an imminent end to the fighting.

In his address on Wednesday night, Zelensky stated that the necessary environment for a trilateral diplomatic meeting has not yet been established due to the security situation surrounding Iran. "Currently, due to the situation related to Iran, the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting have not been received," he said, adding, "But as soon as the security situation and the overall political context become favorable, that diplomatic process will resume."

He mentioned that various countries are contacting Ukraine for assistance regarding defensive measures against Iranian drones. In recent days, he has discussed potential cooperation with leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait.

However, he clarified that Ukraine would only provide such assistance if its own security is not compromised. He also stipulated that such cooperation must support Kyiv's diplomatic efforts to halt the Russian invasion.

"We are ready to help those who help us achieve a just end to the war, to help Ukraine avoid war," Zelensky stated. Meanwhile, according to the Institute for the Study of War, the Ukrainian army has succeeded in pushing back Russian forces in some areas along a front line approximately 1,250 kilometers long. According to the Washington-based think tank, in the last two weeks of February, Ukrainian forces regained more territory through localized counterattacks than they had lost.

The institute estimates that Ukraine has brought approximately 257 square kilometers (100 square miles) back under its control since January 1.