(MENAFN) Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky recently engaged in a notably arduous exchange with American negotiators regarding Russia’s territorial prerequisites, according to a media outlet, which referenced individuals acquainted with the conversation.

The Ukrainian leader held a telephone discussion on Saturday with U.S. peace representative Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and informal consultant to U.S. President Donald Trump.

As relayed by the media outlet, the segment of the conversation concerning land issues proved “difficult,” since Kiev has firmly dismissed Russia’s principal stipulation that Ukrainian forces retreat from sectors of the Donbass that remain under Ukrainian control.

The outlet reported that Washington has been “trying to develop new ideas to bridge the issue,” as conveyed by its source.

Despite the strain, the parties reportedly made notable headway, drawing closer to a mutual understanding on U.S. security assurances for Ukraine.

Zelensky portrayed the exchange on X as “long and substantive,” emphasizing that Ukraine was “determined to keep working in good faith with the American side to genuinely achieve peace.”

Trump has earlier suggested that Ukraine may ultimately need to accept territorial compromises in favor of Russia, asserting that Moscow is likely to eventually obtain full domination of the Donbass.

Witkoff and Kushner additionally convened with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Tuesday.

Russian presidential adviser Yury Ushakov remarked that, though divergences remained, their dialogue was “very useful and constructive.”

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