Vedomosti, in a publication titled “Biden announced Zelensky’s openness to seeking dialogue with Russia,” writes :
“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is open to seeking a ‘just peace’ with Russia. This was announced by US President Joe Biden at a press conference following a meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
“President Zelensky, you have made it very clear that you are open to achieving…let me rephrase. You are open to achieving peace, a just peace,” he said. In response, Zelensky nodded in the affirmative.”
The same is reported by Moskovsky Komsomolets, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Gazeta.ru, Lenta.ru, Regnum and many others, and they all emphasize the “affirmative nod” of the President of Ukraine as a significant event.
In fact, at a joint press conference with Zelensky, Biden said this (a detailed recording, including even occasional reservations, is published on the White House website):
“Ukraine won the battle for Kyiv, won the battle for Kherson, won the battle for Kharkov. Ukraine has defied Russia's expectations at every turn.
And, President Velensky… Zelensky, you made it clear that he is open to continue… well, let's put it this way: he is not open, but you are open to achieving peace. You are open to achieving a just world.
We also know that Putin has no intention… no intention of ending this brutal war. And the United States is committed to ensuring that the brave Ukrainian people can continue… continue to defend their country from Russian aggression for as long as it takes.”
Nowhere is it said that peace is supposed to be achieved by establishing some kind of dialogue with Russia.
Zelensky, on the other hand, did not limit himself to an “affirmative nod”. In his speech at the press conference, he stated:
“We are discussing sanctions and legal pressure on the terrorist country Russia. Russia must be held accountable for everything she does against us, against our people, against Europe and the entire free world.
And it is very important that we have a formula for peace. And to that end, we are proposing very concrete steps—what America can do to help us make them happen.
We offer a global formula for a peaceful summit. I am grateful to our American colleagues that they feel us and understand how important it is to continue and stay the course and work for the integrity of the country and the international rule of law.”
A few minutes later, answering a question from Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Antonenko about what to expect now – a new counteroffensive or some kind of peace negotiations – Zelensky returned to the topic of a "just peace":
“What would you like to hear? Fair world? I don't know. I don't know what a "just world" is. This is a very philosophical description. Whether there is a just war, I don't know.
You know, for each of us the world – just the world – is different. For me, as president, a just world is the absence of compromises on the sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity of my country, retribution for all the damage caused by Russian aggression. <…>
There can be no just peace in the war that was forced upon us by these… I don't know how to describe it, because we are in the White House and I can't find the right language, so I would say these non-humans."
Biden added:
“I think we have the same vision, and that vision is a free, independent, prosperous and secure Ukraine.
We both want this war to end. We both want it to end. And, as I said, it could end today if Putin had a little bit of dignity and would do the right thing – just withdraw the troops. But that won't happen. Will not happen. It won't happen now.
What will be next? Today we talked about how we will continue to help Ukraine succeed on the battlefield. She can succeed on the battlefield with our help, with the help of our European allies and others, so if and when President Zelensky is ready to talk to the Russians, he too can succeed because he won on the battlefield.”
So the conciliatory position and readiness of the presidents of the United States and Ukraine to compromise exists only in the imagination of Russian propagandists. As for the peace formula that Zelensky spoke about, it was voiced on November 15 in his online speech at the G20 summit:
« 1. Radiation and nuclear safety
Russia must immediately withdraw all its militants from the territory of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, the station must immediately be transferred under the control of the IAEA and Ukrainian personnel. Restoring the normal connection of the station to the power grid so that nothing threatens the stability of the reactors. <…> It is necessary to force Russia to abandon any threats with nuclear weapons – the basis for such efforts can be the Budapest Memorandum and the corresponding capabilities of the signatory states.
2. Food security
Expand the export grain initiative to our other ports, in particular, to the ports of Nikolaev and Olvia in the Nikolaev region.
Also, Ukraine is launching a program to prevent hunger in the world Grain from Ukraine. How it will work: part of the exported grain will be able to be bought by the countries participating in the project for the needy African countries, thus supporting two sides at once: Ukraine economically and Africa humanitarianly. <…>
3. Energy security
About 40% of the Ukrainian energy infrastructure has been destroyed by the strikes of Russian missiles and Iranian drones, which are used by the invaders. Assistance is needed in building up air defense and missile defense systems to protect the skies of Ukraine. Ukraine has offered to send a mission of UN experts to the country's critical energy infrastructure to assess the damage and needs for restoration, as well as to prevent their further destruction. At the same time, it is necessary to impose a price limit on Russian energy resources so that Moscow does not resort to energy terror.
4. Release of all prisoners and deportees
Ukraine proposes to exchange prisoners according to the “all for all” formula. This format should also include civilians taken to the territory of the Russian Federation, including children. Almost 11,000 children who were forcibly deported to the Russian Federation are known only by name.
5. Implementation of the UN Charter and restoration of territorial integrity and world order
Russia must confirm the territorial integrity of Ukraine within the framework of the resolutions of the UN General Assembly and the corresponding array of treaty-legal documents.
6. Withdrawal of Russian troops and cessation of hostilities
The Russian Federation must withdraw all its troops from the territory of Ukraine. Ukraine's control over all sections of our state border with Russia must be restored, which will be the result of a real and complete cessation of hostilities.
7. Justice
Creation of a special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine and the creation of an international mechanism to compensate for all losses caused by this war – compensation at the expense of Russian assets. <…>
8. Ecocide, the need for immediate protection of nature
It is necessary to create a platform for assessing the environmental damage caused by war. Assistance to Ukraine with demining, an urgent build-up of such equipment and specialists for this. Allocation of funds for the restoration of treatment facilities.
9. Avoid Escalation
Ukraine needs effective security guarantees, so it has prepared a draft Kyiv Security Compact and has already offered it to partners. Ukraine proposes to hold an international conference to fix the key elements of the post-war security architecture in the Euro-Atlantic space, including guarantees for Ukraine. <…>
10. Fixing the end of the war
When all anti-war steps are implemented, when security and justice begin to be restored, the parties must sign a document on fixing the end of the war.