Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky suggests peace talks could be postponed amid Middle East attacks

Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted he is “not the best father”, as he spoke of the personal challenges he has faced during the four-year war with Russia.

In an interview with Sky News, the Ukrainian president said his role had taken a toll on his family, but that it was his duty to lead Ukraine.

He said he would do anything to bring about peace for his country, and confirmed that another round of trilateral talks was likely to take place next week.

“During the war, I’m not the best father… because I don’t have too much time for my children,” he told Sky News in an interview that aired on Friday.

“I’m the president of Ukraine, I don’t compare my job… because my choice… is duty. My choice is Ukraine. That’s why I said I’m no good father during the war.”

Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine “knows all too well” about the conflict in the Middle East, as he condemns the Iranian regime.

In a post on social media, he said: “Although Ukrainians never threatened Iran, the Iranian regime chose to become Putin’s accomplice and supplied him with “shahed” drones, and not only the drones themselves, but also the technologies to produce them. Iran also provided other weapons to Russia.

“Our position is well known, and Ukraine has stated it repeatedly, including recently. It is important to preserve as many lives as possible. It is important to prevent the war from expanding. It is important that the United States is acting decisively.

“Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken. This understanding must also come to the Russians.”

Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that the time and place of the next round of trilateral peace talks would depend on the security situation in the Middle East and the level of “real diplomatic possibilities”.

The Ukrainian president said he would give fresh directives to his negotiating team at the talks.

Earlier in the week, Zelensky said the next round of talks would likely be in Abu Dhabi in early March.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry said Tehran “had every opportunity to prevent a violent scenario”, and condemned the Iranian regime.

“The Iranian regime, which has been mocking the Iranian people for decades, has launched a large-scale policy of violence against its own people and other countries.

“This includes massive human rights violations within the country, support for militants who have brought chaos to other countries in the region, and direct military support for the aggressor state of Russia in its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.”

It comes after the US and Israel launched co-ordinated strikes across Iran on Saturday.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry said the “reason for the current events is precisely the violence and arbitrariness of the Iranian regime, in particular the murders and repressions against peaceful protesters, which have become particularly large-scale in recent months.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Friday it has negotiated a temporary local ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, allowing the restoration of a backup power supply to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP).

Rafael Grossi, director general of the agency, said in a statement: “The fifth local ceasefire negotiated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) between Ukraine and the Russian Federation commenced today.”

He added: “The IAEA has previously facilitated four temporary ceasefire agreements, which allowed five separate repairs to power lines connected to the ZNPP.”

Volodymyr Zelensky has stood firm on his position to not sacrifice any territory to Russia in order to secure a peace deal.

Asked why he wouldn’t give up Ukrainian territory if it meant an end to the war, he told Sky News: “It’s our territory, and it sounds unbelievably strange that we have to withdraw from our land, that they occupied our land and nobody can pull them out.”

He said if Ukraine were to withdraw from territories like Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, there would be 200,000 people who would have their land occupied by Russia.

“Who said to Russia that these people are ready to be Russian people, and if they don’t, they will kill them, or push them to the front or push them to prison,” president Zelensky said.

The opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina Paralympics is facing an escalating boycott, with a growing number of nations planning to skip the event in protest against the inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under their national flags.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) made the contentious decision in September 2025 to allocate 10 combined slots to Russian and Belarusian athletes, allowing them to participate with their national anthems and flags.

This move has ignited a political storm, set against the backdrop of Russia’s four-year invasion of Ukraine.

Following Ukraine’s initial decision to boycott the ceremony last week, Finland has now confirmed its non-attendance, according to IPC Chief Brand and Communications Officer Craig Spence.

Volodymyr Zelensky wants the US to ramp up its efforts to end the war and said the Trump administration was not doing enough.

In an interview with Sky News, the Ukrainian president said it was “not simple” to have a relationship with an administration that had previously called him a dictator and claimed Zelensky had started the war with Russia.

Asked if he trusted Donald Trump, the Ukrainian president said: “You know it’s more about me and President Trump, it’s not about personalities, it’s more about institutions. Ukraine and president, and United States and president.

“We need to trust each other, and that’s why I’m trying to build such relations with the United States. Relations can’t be dependent on their personalities.”

President Zelensky said he had a “long” and “peaceful” phone call with President Trump on Wednesday night, which was joined by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

He said there will likely be a trilateral meeting between Kyiv, Washington, and Moscow next week.