Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that excluding his country from US-Russia talks on the war in Ukraine would be “very dangerous” and called for additional discussions between Kiev and Washington to develop a ceasefire plan.
This was reported by URA-Inform with reference to the Associated Press.
The Ukrainian leader stressed that Russia does not want to participate in ceasefire talks or discuss any concessions that the Kremlin views as a loss at a time when its troops have an advantage on the battlefield.
At the same time, Zelensky said that US President Donald Trump could bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table by threatening sanctions against Russia's energy and banking systems, as well as continued support for the Ukrainian military.
“I think these are the immediate and most important steps,” he said.
It's worth noting that Zelensky's comments came after Trump's comments on January 31, which said that U.S. and Russian officials were “already talking” about ending the war. Trump said his administration had “very serious” discussions with Russia, but did not elaborate.
“They can have their own relationship, but to talk about Ukraine without us is dangerous for everybody,” — Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president said his team is in contact with the Trump administration, but these discussions are taking place at a “general level,” and he believes that face-to-face meetings will soon be held to develop more detailed agreements.
“We need to work harder on this,” Zelensky said, adding that it is understandable that Trump has been focused on domestic issues in the first weeks after his inauguration.
Recall that earlier it was reported that Trump made a new statement about the end of the war in Ukraine: what serious negotiations are already underway.