Kiev, Ukraine (AP) – European countries are gathering behind Ukraine, saying peace in the war-torn countries cannot be resolved without Kiev. A meeting is planned between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump said Friday Meeting In Alaska, he and his Russian counterparts were to discuss ending the war for over three years.
Zelenskyy thanked his European allies and wrote to X on Sunday.
Spike’s worries about meeting Trump Putin
A statement on Saturday by top European leaders confirmed that the White House was willing to grant Putin a one-on-one meeting that Russia had pushed for a long time, and proposed from Trump that the peace deal could include “territorial swapping.” It raised fears that Kiev might be pressured to give up on the land or accept other curbs about its sovereignty.
White House officials who are not allowed to speak publicly on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press that Trump will remain open to a trilateral summit with Russian and Ukrainian leaders, but for now there is a bilateral meeting from Putin.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance met with top European and Ukrainian officials at the UK Foreign Secretary’s weekend residence on Saturday to discuss ways to end the war.
Trump previously said that even Russian leaders would meet with Putin. I won’t meet Zelenskyy.
Trump Putin’s meeting may prove crucial in the war that began when Russia invaded its western neighbors and caused tens of thousands of deaths, but there is no guarantee that the fight will be stopped since Moscow and Kiev remained It’s far far away in terms of peace.
statement
A statement on Saturday, signed by the European Union president and leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland and the UK, highlighted the need for “fair and lasting peace” in Kiev, including “robust and reliable” security guarantees.
“Ukraine has more freedom of choice than its own destiny. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostility,” the statement said.
“The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be determined without Ukraine. We continue to be committed to the principle that international borders should not be forced to change,” the European added.
A fruitless push to the truce
A month-long US-led push to achieve the armistice in Ukraine has proven so far unyielding, and while Kyiv agrees in principle, the Kremlin has more of its preference conditions.
Trump had it too I’ve given you an ultimatum It will impose additional sanctions on Russia and introduce secondary tariffs targeting countries that purchase Russian oil if the Kremlin fails to move towards a settlement. The deadline was Friday. The White House did not answer questions on the possibility of sanctions on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the Kremlin repeated its demands that Ukraine abandon its territory, abandon its bid to join NATO, and accept military restrictions in exchange for the withdrawal of Russian troops from other parts of the country. For Kiev, in particular, it is Moscow’s claim to give away the pockets of the Eastern and Southern Ukraine, which the Kremlin claims to have annexed, despite the lack of full military control.
Mark Galeotti, a Russian politics expert who leads Mayak intelligence consultants in the UK, says Moscow’s tactics surrounding the eastern Ukraine town have brought a string of territorial benefits to Russia, and Putin “seems to feel he’s still winning.”
“I don’t think Putin is under pressure,” Galeotti argued in an analysis released Sunday by the British Sunday Times newspaper.
He said for Putin, “to delay any more serious actions and the optics of the meeting with the US president will already win.”
Zelenskyy eliminates giving up territory
Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Ukraine “will not give Russia a prize for what it did” and that “the Ukrainians will not give land to the occupying people.”
Ukrainian officials previously told the Associated Press that Kiev is used to peace deals that effectively recognize that it cannot militarily regain Ukraine’s lost territory. However, Zelensky on Saturday insisted that the land that officially concessions are out of the question.
Galeotti argued that the deal, including Ukraine’s abandoned territory, is “painful” and politically dangerous for Zelensky.
Zelensky’s top aide Andry Yamak said on Sunday that Kiev will strive to raise its position ahead of the planned Trump Putin conference.
“There’s an important week of diplomacy ahead,” he said.
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Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report by Washington, DC Price.
