Russia has indicated to America that it may be ready to end war in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelancesi Told reporters on Tuesday.
“We had a call with President Trump and a call with some European leaders. During the call, there was a sign from Mr. Witchoff, which was also on the call, that the Russia is ready to end the war – ready for the first step, at least, to a struggle,” Zelancesi said, referring to the US Special Enavire Steve Vitechoff. “And that is the first such sign from them.”
However, Zelancesi also warned that “about us, without us, will not work,” will not work, “with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska ahead of each summit of President Trump. Prescribed for Friday,
Calls related to Zelancesi, Mr. Trump and Vitcoff were last week, a spokesman for Zelanski’s office told CBS News on Tuesday.
While Zelancesi said “the call was” seen as “shift” in Russia’s position, it was encouraged, the Ukrainian leader said Ukraine would not take back his forces from the Russian-confession Donbas region in the east of Ukraine, under any circumstances.
“Our territories are illegally occupied. For Russians, Donbas is a springboard for the future new aggressive. If we leave Donbas under our own agreement or pressure, we will invite a third war,” Zalensky said.
The summit between Mr. Trump and Putin is the first in-in-person meeting between Putin and the sitting US President as Russia invaded Ukraine. The White House press secretary Karolin Levit was described as “an listening practice for the President” on Tuesday.
“Only a party that is involved in this war is going to be present, and so it is for the President to go and again, again, for a more firm and better understanding of how we can end this war,” Levit said.
It is widely expected that Putin would demand that the Ukrainian forces move away from all parts of the Donbas region of Ukraine – of which Russian forces held the country’s 2014 Crimean Peninsula since. After Russia Full scale attack In 2022, in Ukraine, there is an increase in the region under Russian occupation, although the Ukrainian forces currently hold the area in parts of Donbask, a province within Donbas.
Prior to Mr. Trump’s meeting with Putin, a spokesman for Zelancesi’s office confirmed CBS News that he will attend a virtual meeting on Wednesday With Mr. Trump and European leaders To discuss war.
Speaking to reporters at the White House briefing room on Monday, Mr. Trump expressed optimism that his meeting with Putin would be “creative”, and said he plans to establish a meeting of a person associated with Putin and Zelansky.
“The next meeting will be with Zalensky and Putin or Zelansky and Putin and me,” said Mr. Trump.
Two sources, familiar with those talks, told CBS News on Tuesday that the US was working on a site for a Trump-Putin-Zelanceci meeting later next week.
But Zelancesi was adamant in his comment on Tuesday that there should be no such meeting without the participation of European leaders.
He said, “The presence of Europe is very important in one or the other form, because finally, so far, no, but Europe has given us security guarantee,” he said.
For Mr. Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska, Zelansky said that only one person will benefit in the meeting- Russian leader.
“I believe Putin will benefit from it, because what he wants is clearly, photos. He needs a picture from a meeting with President Trump,” Zelancesi said. “Ukrainian issues should be discussed by at least three parties.”
Jennifer Jacobs contributed to this report.
