President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine stated on 21/8 that he needs "to understand the structure of security guarantees for Ukraine in the next 7-10 days" before agreeing to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to Zelensky, only after receiving these security guarantees will Ukraine consider a trilateral meeting with Putin and former US President Donald Trump.
The concept of "NATO-style security guarantees" for Ukraine has been recently discussed between the former US president and European leaders, but no concrete terms have been established. Russia has also declared its opposition to any security guarantee negotiations for Ukraine without Moscow's involvement.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome on 10/7. Photo: AP |
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome on 10/7. Photo: AP
Zelensky suggested three potential locations for the meeting: Switzerland, Austria, and Turkey. "Turkey is a NATO country and also a part of Europe. We have no objections", he said.
The Ukrainian president added that he had asked Trump to pressure Hungary to stop blocking Ukraine's entry into the European Union. "President Trump promised his team would work on it," Zelensky said.
Trump recently held a summit with Putin in Alaska and subsequently met with the Ukrainian president and European leaders at the White House. He indicated he was arranging a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, potentially leading to a trilateral summit "if everything goes smoothly."
Trump suggested it would be better if he didn't participate in the initial meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, allowing them to negotiate a peace agreement independently. He noted the "very bad" relationship between the two and wanted to see how their dialogue progressed. After they reach an agreement, he would join a trilateral meeting to "finalize the deal."
However, President Putin has shown no indication of agreeing to meet Zelensky, although the Kremlin has stated they are open to elevating the level of peace negotiations with Ukraine.
Ngoc Anh (According to AFP)
