The visit of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington aims to get clarification from US President Donald Trump. Kyiv does not understand why the American president suddenly abandoned the demand that a ceasefire precede negotiations. This is reported by The New York Times, citing an official informed about the conversation between the leaders of Ukraine and the United States, according to UNN.
Details
As the publication writes, after President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded inconclusive peace talks in Alaska, Ukraine found itself in a situation it knows well. It tried to piece together what the two leaders actually discussed, decipher what they might have agreed upon, and sought to avoid being sidelined from peace talks.
Trump's call a few hours later filled in some gaps. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the phone conversation, which involved European leaders, was "long and substantive" and covered "key points" of the American leader's talks with Mr. Putin. Zelensky added that he would visit Mr. Trump in Washington on Monday "to discuss all the details regarding ending the killings and the war."
But even as Zelensky's statement hinted at a potential path to a peace agreement after months of largely inconclusive negotiations, Trump's public statement later on Saturday morning raised questions about whether such an opportunity would be too heavily skewed towards Russia for Ukraine to accept.
Trump called on social media for a direct peace agreement without first securing a ceasefire, claiming that Zelensky and European leaders had agreed on the matter. His statement was a striking departure from the "principles" agreed upon earlier this week by Trump, Zelensky, and his European allies, who called for refraining from discussing peace terms until a ceasefire agreement was reached.
The publication reminds that Russia has long insisted on a direct peace agreement that would address a wide range of issues and impose burdensome demands on Ukraine, including territorial concessions. Avoiding a ceasefire would allow Russia to continue to exploit its battlefield advantage in the meantime.
An official informed about the conversation between Trump and Zelensky said that the Ukrainian leader's visit to Washington was aimed at getting clarification from Trump. Kyiv does not understand why the American president suddenly abandoned the demand that a ceasefire precede negotiations.
"In his statement, Zelensky seemed to act cautiously, trying not to openly contradict Mr. Trump.
We need to achieve a real peace that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions," said Mr. Zelensky. But he added that "the killings must stop as soon as possible, and the fire must stop both on the battlefield and in the air, as well as on our port infrastructure," hinting that he still prioritizes a ceasefire.
Recall
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed a lengthy conversation with US President Donald Trump following the Alaska summit, indicating that Ukraine confirms it is ready to work as productively as possible for peace and supports a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the US, and Russia, and that he is going to negotiate with Trump in Washington on Monday.