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Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio News.

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Speaker 2: Joining us now is Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Akxana

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Speaker 2: Makarova here with us in our Washington, DC studio. Ambassador,

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Speaker 2: thank you so much for the time. The US described

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Speaker 2: yesterday's talks with Ukrainian officials as productive.

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Speaker 1: Can you shed some.

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Speaker 2: Light as to what exactly has been produced to this point.

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Speaker 3: Kaylie Joe, thank you very much for having me. As

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Speaker 3: you know, it's already the second time our teams meet there.

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Speaker 3: The previous meeting was a little bit more than a

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Speaker 3: week ago, and we really have great discussions with our

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Speaker 3: American colleagues and friends.

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Speaker 1: Ukraine did not start this war.

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Speaker 3: We want peace more than anyone, and Ukraine is committed

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Speaker 3: to pieces. Presidents Lenski repeatedly said, I mean we are

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Speaker 3: ready for the full seas fire. We are ready to

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Speaker 3: discuss partial ideas of ceasefire.

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Speaker 1: Ukraine is not going.

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Speaker 3: To be the problem here because we were not the

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Speaker 3: problem to start with. So it was really good discussions.

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Speaker 3: I mean, there is nothing we can we can publicly

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Speaker 3: say now, but we really hope that together with both

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Speaker 3: State Department and National Security Advisor's team, who are making

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Speaker 3: great efforts in bringing.

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Speaker 1: All of us closer to peace, we will be able.

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Speaker 3: To convince Russians to to move closer to peace.

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Speaker 4: You mentioned partial cease fire. How would you describe the

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Speaker 4: status of this energy infrastructure ceasefire that we've heard about.

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Speaker 4: Has it actually taken effect as the clock running on.

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Speaker 3: Us, Well, we are discussing it and Ukraine actively supports it. Again,

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Speaker 3: we believe the idea of full cease fire, which President

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Speaker 3: Zelenski not only commanded, but again we embrace it wholeheartedly.

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Speaker 3: It's a great idea. President Trump suggested the full cease

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Speaker 3: fire for thirty days. That's that's that's a great idea.

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Speaker 3: Actually that would save lives. Unfortunately, we need Russia to

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Speaker 3: agree to that in order to be But you see

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Speaker 3: right now today a horrible tragedy in So you know,

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Speaker 3: more than ninety people wounded. Yesterday Kiev attacked family, killed her.

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Speaker 1: Father and the five year old.

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Speaker 3: Day before yesterday, Zaparijia day two days ago, again.

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Speaker 1: Church in Sum.

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Speaker 3: I mean every day Russia continues to attack, and that's

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Speaker 3: why not only Ukraine is commuted to.

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Speaker 1: Peace and wants peace, but we need peace.

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Speaker 2: Do you think Russia shares that commitment? To peace at

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Speaker 2: this point? Is the administration misunderstanding where Russia actually is

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Speaker 2: on this right now?

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Speaker 3: Now, I think we have good understanding between US and

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Speaker 3: the US and we're working really hard to get to peace.

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Speaker 3: Now we will see what Russia they have to show it,

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Speaker 3: not only by words, but as they did.

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Speaker 4: We heard from President Trump on a potential mineral steal

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Speaker 4: with Ukraine just about completed. We'll be signing it soon,

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Speaker 4: he said, are you really that far along?

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Speaker 3: Well, you know, as the former Minister of Finance and

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Speaker 3: during my four years as an ambassador, I always pushed

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Speaker 3: for a bigger co operation between US and Ukraine.

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Speaker 1: And there are many areas we can do that.

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Speaker 3: I mean, mineral deals is one of them. Energy, infrastructure,

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Speaker 3: innovations and engineering everywhere, all these sectors where Ukraine can

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Speaker 3: be a solution to so many global problems and where

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Speaker 3: we together can actually add to security and to prosperity

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Speaker 3: of both of our countries. So our first Vice Prime

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Speaker 3: Minister and Secretary of vestant and active discussions, and the

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Speaker 3: more we can do together on the economic and investment front,

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Speaker 3: the better for both.

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Speaker 1: Of our countries.

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Speaker 3: Of course, peace is something that is on everyone's mind.

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Speaker 3: We need for Russia to stop disaggression and we need

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Speaker 3: to return to peace. But there is a lot we

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Speaker 3: can do together.

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Speaker 2: Well, you mentioned energy. There is it going to stop

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Speaker 2: it just the minerals deal because we now have the

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Speaker 2: administration floating ideas around controlling Ukrainian nuclear power plants, for example,

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Speaker 2: having an ownership role to play. Can you shed some

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Speaker 2: light on those conversations?

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Speaker 3: Again, as I said, there are many industries where we

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Speaker 3: can cooperate and Ukraine energy is one of the top

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Speaker 3: four or five industries where Ukraine, even during the war

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Speaker 3: at the beginning of this full fledged Warfhase, Ukraine was

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Speaker 3: exporting electricity. That's why Russia is a take in our

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Speaker 3: energy because this is one of the competitive advantages that

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Speaker 3: we had. Similar with agribusiness, similar with infrastructure, and again

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Speaker 3: defense tech and everything else. We really would like to

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Speaker 3: cooperate more with us, of course with European partners and others,

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Speaker 3: but I think there is a lot we can do

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Speaker 3: with American companies.

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Speaker 4: Ambassador, I just want to put a finer point on

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Speaker 4: a couple of things that we've brought up with the

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Speaker 4: spirit of cooperation in mind, and I understand the sentiment

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Speaker 4: of that statement. That you're making. But is a minerals

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Speaker 4: deal about to be signed or will more negotiations be required?

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Speaker 4: And is an energy infrastructure sees fire actually in effect?

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Speaker 1: Has it been signed?

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Speaker 3: Well, we had discussed and it very actively. Definitely is

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Speaker 3: not going to be I mean, I think both teams

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Speaker 3: are very focused on doing it and doing it pretty fast.

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Speaker 1: But of course, you know, as we all know.

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Speaker 3: In investment and finance, I mean, you have to discuss everything.

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Speaker 3: The more you agree and discuss everything before you sign,

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Speaker 3: the better and partnership afterwards.

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Speaker 1: But we're doing it at a very quick pace.

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Speaker 2: Speaking of quick pace, the White House appears to be

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Speaker 2: targeting for a full cease fire to start April twentieth.

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Speaker 2: Is that a timeline that Ukraine seas as realistic?

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Speaker 1: It's just weeks away at.

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Speaker 3: This point, well even more than a week ago. Our

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Speaker 3: president said we are ready for it. So again it

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Speaker 3: takes two to dance, and Ukraine wants this sea is fire.

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Speaker 3: We're ready for seasfire. We actually want a full fledged

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Speaker 3: and just peace, you know, but it's not going to

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Speaker 3: be Ukraine that is going to be impatded for that.

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Speaker 4: We heard from US Envoy Steve Wikoff, who had a

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Speaker 4: lengthy meeting, he's had a couple of sessions with Vladimir

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Speaker 4: Putin and said over the weekend he does not regard

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Speaker 4: Putin as a bad guy. Talking about how much of

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Speaker 4: the narrative here involving sham referendums led to these Russian

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Speaker 4: occupied areas of Ukraine, does that make you question the

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Speaker 4: White House? This administration is a credible actor in these talks.

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Speaker 4: If they're saying that Vladimir Putin is not a bad.

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Speaker 3: Guy, it doesn't make me a question. I mean, we

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Speaker 3: all can have our own opinions. I just shared yesterday

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Speaker 3: a video that a member of my family shot when

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Speaker 3: the apartment complex in which he leaves was targeted by shahedrons.

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Speaker 3: So I have my opinions about Russians who attacked us

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Speaker 3: in twenty fourteen, and they attacked us in twenty twenty two,

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Speaker 3: and every day they kill peaceful civilians in Ukraine. So

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Speaker 3: you know, but look, right now, the focus is on

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Speaker 3: how to get to peace and how to get to justice,

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Speaker 3: and there will be lots of time to discuss different opinions,

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Speaker 3: but we have to keep the focus on what is

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Speaker 3: important now.

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Speaker 2: Well, if it's about getting to adjust peace, what consessions

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Speaker 2: is Ukraine put on the table that you're willing to

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Speaker 2: agree to you in order for that to happen, or

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Speaker 2: that the administration has asked of Ukraine.

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Speaker 3: Right now, the discussion is on how to get to this,

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Speaker 3: and I think Ukraine is.

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Speaker 1: Showing clearly that we are committed to peace.

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Speaker 3: We need to hear and see the same commitment from

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Speaker 3: Russia and after that, you know, That's why we have

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Speaker 3: teams working and negotiating, and it's going to be process probably,

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Speaker 3: you know, but I think it's not about concessions that

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Speaker 3: Ukraine is willing to make. Ukraine is committed to peace.

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Speaker 3: We want peace. We're defending ourselves. We are not the

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Speaker 3: ones who started this war. But again, as we said,

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Speaker 3: you know, hopefully with under the leadership of President Trump,

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Speaker 3: with his vision of peace through trends, we will be

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Speaker 3: able to get there.

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Speaker 4: What will follow these sessions, once these talks in Saudi

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Speaker 4: Arabia or over, what's.

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Speaker 1: The next step. Let's wait and see.

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Speaker 3: I mean, our team is still there and hopefully in

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Speaker 3: the coming days we will hear whether we are moving

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Speaker 3: forward hopefully yes, and we'll see the next stages. Again.

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Speaker 3: More than a week ago, President Zelenski said, Ukraine is

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Speaker 3: ready for unconditional ceasefire.

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Speaker 4: You want to see all three parties at the table

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Speaker 4: for the next session, at the same table.

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Speaker 3: You know, again, it's not up to me on how

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Speaker 3: it's going to be done. The focus is to have

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Speaker 3: the comprehensive peace, but at least a full cease fire,

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Speaker 3: which Ukraine agreed to.

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Speaker 4: It's great to have you back with us at the table.

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Speaker 1: Thank you, ambassador.

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Speaker 4: Ukrainian Ambassador to the us O Sana Markarova on Bloomberg