Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated that any meaningful peace negotiations to end the ongoing war with Russia must include Kyiv. Speaking on Saturday, Zelensky emphasized the need to establish a clear format for peace talks and warned that excluding Ukraine would lead to fruitless outcomes.
“I understand that contacts can take various forms,” Zelensky said, referring to discussions aimed at achieving “a just peace.” He added, “We should focus on this today.”
His comments come amid growing speculation about potential negotiations to end the nearly three-year-long conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a willingness to engage in talks with U.S. counterpart Donald Trump regarding Ukraine. Putin lauded Trump as a “smart” leader who, he suggested, might have prevented the war’s outbreak in February 2022. However, Putin provided no timeline for such discussions, while the Kremlin stated it was still awaiting “signals” from Washington.
Trump, who recently took office, described the conflict as “ridiculous” and has threatened Russia with stricter economic sanctions unless it halts its aggression. He also signaled a readiness to meet Putin “immediately.”
Zelensky, speaking in Kyiv, underscored the importance of including multiple stakeholders in peace talks, suggesting that the United States, the European Union, and Ukraine must be integral to any negotiation process with Russia.
“I can’t specify today what the structure of the negotiations will look like, as we don’t yet have a common plan,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian leader stressed that peace talks excluding Kyiv would fail to address the core issues of security and conflict resolution. “It is impossible to exclude Ukraine from any negotiation platform, or this platform will only yield political results, not real outcomes,” he stated.
Zelensky also referred to previous efforts to end the war, including the “victory plan” he presented at a Ukraine summit last year, which brought together numerous nations and international organizations to discuss pathways to peace.
As the world watches for developments, Zelensky’s remarks highlight Ukraine’s steadfast position: lasting peace can only be achieved with Kyiv at the table.
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