The New York Times reports, citing an unnamed Ukrainian official.
The publication notes that Ukraine is currently considering an "accelerated negotiation schedule," which is being advocated by newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump. As a result, obtaining security guarantees is as crucial for Kyiv as determining where the ceasefire line might be.
Roman Kostenko, the secretary of the parliamentary committee on national security, defense, and intelligence, stated in a comment to the NYT that if negotiations do take place, they must be based on security guarantees. He added that Ukraine will not officially relinquish its territories currently under Russian occupation.
Another high-ranking Ukrainian official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said: "The territorial issue is extremely important, but it is still the second question. The first question is security guarantees."
It is worth noting that earlier, the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, stated that for negotiations with Russia to commence, it must retreat to positions held before the onset of full-scale war.