European allies have shown overwhelming support for Ukraine, emphasizing that any peace negotiations with Russia must include the Ukrainian government. This comes as former US President Donald Trump prepares for his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The joint statement from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission stated, “The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that any agreements made without Ukraine’s involvement would be “dead decisions.” Meanwhile, a White House official announced that Trump is open to a trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelensky. However, it remains unclear whether Putin will agree to this proposal, given that the Russian and Ukrainian leaders have not met directly since the invasion.
Trump suggested that there may be a need for territorial swaps to reach an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv. However, Zelensky firmly stated that Ukraine will not reward Russia for its actions. The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House is attempting to convince European allies to accept an agreement that would allow Russia to retain control of the Donbas region and the Crimean Peninsula.
European leaders have stressed that international borders cannot be changed by force and have pledged their continued diplomatic, military, and financial support for Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron warned against the exclusion of European involvement in any upcoming agreements.
Zelensky spoke with Macron and emphasized the importance of ensuring that “the Russians do not get to deceive anyone again.” The Ukrainian leader emphasized that a genuine end to the war and reliable security foundations for Ukraine and other European nations are necessary.
US diplomacy with Europe and Ukraine is led by Vice-President JD Vance, who recently visited the UK and met with Foreign Secretary David Lammy as well as two of Zelensky’s top aides. The head of Zelensky’s office, Andriy Yermak, stressed the need for Ukraine’s involvement in the negotiations. The upcoming summit in Alaska, the territory Russia sold to the US in 1867, would mark the first meeting between sitting US and Russian presidents since Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in June 2021.
Despite Russia’s failure to achieve a decisive breakthrough in its invasion, it currently occupies significant portions of Ukraine’s eastern territory. Ukrainian military efforts have also been unable to drive Russian forces back.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0e9py7e28xo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
