Washington and Moscow are actively consulting to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, touching on a number of strategically important issues, including control over Black Sea ports and the fate of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). This was reported in an interview with the American television channel CBS News by the US President's special representative Steve Witkoff, who is overseeing the negotiation process on behalf of the Donald Trump administration. 

According to Witkoff, access to Black Sea ports is a central topic of discussion, given its importance to food security and economic stability in the region. Since the outbreak of the conflict in February 2022, Russia has seized control of a number of Ukrainian ports, and in July 2023, it announced that it would consider ships heading to Ukrainian ports as potential carriers of military cargo, effectively paralyzing Ukraine's maritime exports. Witkoff emphasized that finding a compromise on this issue remains a difficult task, requiring consideration of the interests of all parties. 

Another key aspect of the talks is the fate of the Zaporizhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, which has been under Russian control since October 2022. Witkoff noted that the dialogue will cover issues related to the management of the plant, its energy supply, and measures to prevent man-made disasters. The situation around the Zaporizhzhya NPP has repeatedly raised concerns in the international community, especially after mutual accusations of shelling the plant's territory. 

The talks on these issues are taking place against the backdrop of stepped-up diplomatic efforts initiated by the Trump administration, which is seeking a speedy end to the conflict. The US president previously said that Washington was consulting with Kiev on the territorial aspects of the settlement, including lands that Ukraine could lose as a result of the agreement. At the same time, the Russian side insists on consolidating its control over territories, including the Zaporizhia region, which significantly complicates reaching a compromise.