Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky has asserted that Ukraine “will not be able to accept any agreements” made without the country’s involvement.
This came as he spoke to reporters about US President Donald Trump’s conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the future of the war.
He added that it’s important that everything does not go according to Putin’s plan to make negotiations a bilateral conversation between Russia and the US.
The Ukrainian President also said that he does not see Trump’s phone call with Putin “as a sign that talking to Russia was a priority for the US President.”
However, he added that it is “not very pleasing in any case.” He emphasized, “There can be no talk about Ukraine without Ukraine,” adding that Europeans need to be at the negotiating table too.
Also, Zelenskyy disclosed that he told Trump that the priority for his country is “security guarantees”, something he does not see without US support.
Later, Zelenskyy said that he has “warned world leaders against trusting Putin’s claims of readiness to end the war.”
In a statement on X, Zelenskyy said that he spoke with Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk and emphasised the need for Ukraine to “negotiate from a position of strength, with strong and reliable security guarantees.”
“NATO membership would be the most cost-effective for partners. Another key guarantee is serious investment in Ukraine’s defence industry.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Meanwhile, Kremlin Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said that Ukraine “will of course one way or another be taking part in the negotiations.”
“There will be a bilateral Russian-American track of that dialogue, and a track that will be associated with the involvement of Ukraine.”
Dmitry Peskov
Separately, US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth confirmed that peace negotiations will involve both Russia and Ukraine.
This came during a press conference at Brussels as he was asked whether he can guarantee that a deal will not be forced on Ukraine and that Europe would be involved in negotiations.
He was also questioned on whether weapons shipments to Ukraine will continue during negotiations.
The US Secretary of defence stated that President Donald Trump called both Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this week. “Any negotiation that’s had will be had with both,” Hegseth said.
He added that NATO and its European members will play a role in the “need for peace,” saying that negotiations “affect a lot of people.”
Hegseth noted that “future funding” could be on the negotiation table.
Analyst Points To Worry In Europe Concerning Peace Agreement
Robert Pszczel, a senior fellow at the Centre for Eastern Studies, opined that there is worry in Europe after Trump and other US officials said this week that Ukraine should rule out going back to its pre-2014 borders and joining NATO.
Pszczel told a news agency that it appears that Russia has been “provided with some concessions” even before the start of negotiations towards ending the Ukraine war.
“To rule out the membership [of Ukraine in NATO], it’s not a good thing from a negotiating point of view. The same goes for a prediction that Ukraine will never get back the territories that are presently occupied.
“That’s contrary to US policy of not recognising conquest by force, which has been in place for more than 100 years.”
Robert Pszczel
Pszczel added that Ukraine has accepted the fact that the US will lead the discussions with Russia. “But it is absolutely fundamental that Ukrainians are part of this, [that] they’re not sort of informed afterwards,” he said.
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