President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used a brief conversation with US President Donald Trump in the Vatican to convey a simple message to the American leader: Ukraine is ready for an unconditional ceasefire, but Russia is not, and Trump should not give up on the peace that only he can ensure. This was reported by The Economist, reports UNN.
Details
It is reported that the meeting in Rome between Trump and Zelenskyy, organized with the mediation of the French, with the President of Ukraine traveling only after receiving last-minute confirmation, resulted in a striking photograph of the two men sitting in St. Peter's Basilica, "engrossed in conversation as if politically equal."
Ukrainian sources say Mr Zelensky used his 15 minutes to deliver a simple message: Ukraine is ready for an unconditional ceasefire, Russia is not, and Mr Trump should not abandon a peace that only he can deliver
A post on social media, written by the American president after that, as the publication writes, "suggests that he understood the essence of the message." His demonstrative rebuke to Putin for "tapping [him] along" was his strongest yet, the publication indicates.
Trump stated that his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Vatican went well, and the next few days will show whether there was progress.
Later, after the meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump wrote in his Truth Social social network that Putin had no reason to launch rockets at civilian areas, cities and towns of Ukraine in the last few days, and added that he wondered whether Putin wanted to stop the war, hinting at possible sanctions.
An American source reported that at the beginning of the process, Trump was very disappointed with Zelenskyy. "Now it's moved on to Putin," the source said.
As The Economist notes, so far talks have not squared the circle: reconciling Ukrainian insistence on security guarantees with a Russian desire for a public capitulation. But those close to the negotiating table speak of a new impetus, the publication writes.
The Economist states that for the first time, Ukrainian negotiators are cautiously optimistic.
"We are trying to improve our position. But everyone is bluffing. And there is a danger that someone will overestimate their capabilities," said a senior Ukrainian official.
The publication notes that Ukraine's fragile confidence does not stem from a belief that Trump is about to bring peace for the ages. Rather, it comes from a change in mood, the publication writes.
Addendum
US Special Representative for Russia and Ukraine Keith Kellogg stated that at recent talks in London, the American and Ukrainian delegations agreed on a list of 22 "very specific" actions that could form the basis for further agreements on resolving the war.