The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zenskyy said he wants a “strong reaction” from the American government if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not sit with him for a bilateral meeting.
This is when US President Donald Trump tries to circumvent a peace agreement between the two countries, which have been at war since the Moscow invasion in February 2022 in Ukraine, although Trump has admitted that Putin might not be willing to close a deal.
Zenskyy has said that he has already agreed to a proposed meeting with Putin.
Trump’s urge to Putin-Affenkyy-talk depends on the circumstances of Kremlin
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zenskyy said he wants a “strong reaction” of the US if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not meet him. (Tetiana Dzhafarova, Pool Photo via AP)
“I immediately responded to the proposal for a bilateral meeting: we are ready. But what if the Russians are not ready?” Zenskiy said on Wednesday during a newsletter in Kyiv.
“If the Russians are not ready, we would like to see a strong response from the United States.”
Trump met both leaders separately last week, with Zenskyy visiting the White House together with other European leaders earlier this week and met US President Putin in Alaska last week.
Zenskyy has said that he has already agreed to a proposed meeting with Putin. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP; Christian Bruna/Getty)
The White House said that Putin was willing to meet his Ukrainian enemy after a phone call this week with Trump.
“President Trump spoke with President Putin by telephone and he agreed to start the next phase of the peace process, a meeting between President Putin and President Zenskyy, who, if necessary, would be followed by a vilateral meeting between President Putin, President Zelensraris Karpine, said the Secretary of Karpine, said the Secretary of Karpine.
The path to peace between the two parties remains uncertain despite the American efforts for diplomacy, while the US government and its allies try to work out potential security guarantees for Ukraine.
Trump calls the white house conversations ‘very good, early step’ in the direction of Russia-Ukraine peace: here is what the next is
Trump individually met Zenskyy and Putin. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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Zenskyy said it was unclear what concessions about territory that Russia was willing to make the conflict. Trump has previously said that Kyiv and Moscow both should give up the territory.
“To discuss what Ukraine is willing to do, let’s first hear what Russia is willing to do,” said Zenskyy. “We don’t know that.”
Reuters has contributed to this report.
