Zelensky voices main condition for meeting with Putin: video
14 February 23:25
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that he is ready to meet with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, but only under certain conditions. He made this statement during a speech at the Munich Security Conference, Komersant ukrainskyi reports
According to Zelenskyy, a meeting with Putin is possible only after Ukraine, the United States, and European countries develop a joint plan to end the war. The president emphasized that no platforms for compromise are being considered.
“I will not meet with Russians, it is not part of my plans. I will meet only one Russian – only Putin. Only after we have a joint plan with Trump, Europe, and we sit down with Putin and stop the war. Only then am I ready to meet. There will be no other platforms with compromises,” the Ukrainian leader emphasized.
Zelenskyy also noted that Russia continues to use disinformation to split the unity between Ukraine’s partners.
“There may be some element of disinformation. Perhaps the Russians have raised or promoted it. Such things can destroy unity. For example, Saudi Arabia. Yes, I will visit the UAE, I have visits planned, important dialogues. We have our own agenda,” the president said.
Zelenskyy also spoke about his conversation with former US President Donald Trump, in which he called Putin a liar.
“He (Trump – ed.) spoke with Putin. He told me that Putin wants to stop the war. I told him that he (Putin – ed.) is a liar, I hope that you (Trump – ed.) will put pressure on him (Putin – ed.). We have had direct conversations with Putin about a ceasefire. We don’t need a ceasefire. This is a global problem,” the President of Ukraine summarized.
Follow us on Telegram: the main news in brief
Trump’s position on Ukraine
During the election campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly said that he would stop the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. This deadline has already passed.
Also during the election, the media spread the so-called “Trump Plan”. The plan was that the United States would use its influence to stop the war, taking into account the status quo. To do this, Trump would force Putin and Zelenskyy to sit down at the negotiating table. If Putin does not agree to negotiate, the United States will give Ukraine all the weapons it needs to win on the battlefield. If Zelenskyy refuses to negotiate, the United States will completely stop helping Ukraine.
This plan, in its various variations, included a provision that Russia would retain the territories it temporarily occupied and that Ukraine would not join NATO.
However, later Trump seemed to “forget” about this plan. In particular, he voiced scenarios in which he would force Russia to capitulate due to the decline in world oil prices.
After Trump was elected President of the United States, one of his advisors, Brian Lanza, said that Ukraine should forget about Crimea. Trump’s entourage, however, was quick to deny this statement and said that Lanza could not speak on his behalf.
Currently, the US Special Representative for Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is talking about 100 days within which he wants to reach some kind of agreement. Of these, 24 days have already passed. During this time, the US administration has established contact with the Kremlin, an American envoy has traveled to Moscow, and Trump has spoken to Putin on the phone and allegedly agreed to meet in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, in exchange for military support, US President Donald Trump demanded $500 billion worth of rare earth metals from Ukraine. He said that the US should have access to Ukraine’s natural resources, regardless of whether Kyiv manages to reach a peace agreement with Russia. Moreover, Trump has already said that Ukraine is ready to accept such a deal.
