Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the time has come to organise a conversation between the leaders regarding key priorities and deadlines for security guarantees. He wrote this in social networks following a telephone conversation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
“Our teams are actively preparing the architecture of strong and multilateral security guarantees for Ukraine, everyone is involved: the Europeans, the Americans, our other partners in the coalition of the willing. Military commanders, defence ministers, security advisers – at different levels we are preparing the components of future security. We are accelerating in defining the details. It is already time to organise and format for a conversation between leaders to determine the key emphases and deadlines,” Zelensky wrote.
“An important direction-relations with the United States, maximum content in these relations. Now the Russians, unfortunately, give negative signals regarding meetings and further developments. The strikes on our cities and villages continue. Every day there are new victims. The Russians will only consider strong pressure in response to all this. Pressure is required. We are counting on it. It is Russia that needs steps – steps towards real diplomacy,” the head of state added.
On the eve of US President Donald Trump said that he hopes for a “very quick” end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. He did not name the exact terms.
At the same time, Trump noted that he is ready to impose economic sanctions on Russia if Russian President Putin does not show a desire for peace. “I am talking about economic sanctions because we are not going to get into a world war,” Trump emphasised. The US president labelled the sanctions as “economic warfare”.
The American president added that he would seek a face-to-face meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine as he “wants it to be over.” To a reporter’s retort that Putin does not want to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (a meeting promoted by Trump) because he considers the Ukrainian president illegitimate, Trump replied, “it doesn’t matter what they say. It’s all nonsense. They’re all just playing to the public.” Trump noted that Zelensky “is not innocent either” of the fact that there is no movement toward peace in sight, and pointed out that sanctions and duties could apply not only to Russia but also to Ukraine.
Since taking office as president, Trump has stated the need for a swift end to the war Russia is waging against Ukraine. His administration has emphasised Not supporting Ukraine, but ending the fighting and reaching a peace agreement.
In recent weeks, U.S. officials have claimed progress toward peace, with Trump meeting with both Putin and Zelensky.
However, Russia is still effectively refusing to hold a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders, as well as making various demands. Meanwhile, the White House claims that both sides have already indicated a willingness to make concessions from their original demands.
Ukraine continues to insist on security guarantees. The Financial Times quoted its sources as saying on 26 August that during the talks on such guarantees, the USA expressed readiness to provide air and reconnaissance support for a possible mission of European countries that might send troops to Ukraine after the fighting is over.
The paper’s interlocutors said that receiving the pledges of support from the USA was a great success for Ukraine and its European allies