Zelensky says the US wants the Ukraine-Russia peace deal by June, despite the failure to reach the breakthrough so far
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the United States wants a peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia by early summer, despite repeated rounds of talks failing to reach a breakthrough over the issues of territory and security guarantees.
“They say they want to get everything done by June,” Zelensky said in remarks published Saturday by the Presidency. “And they will do everything to end the war. They want a clear schedule of events.”
“If the Russians are really ready to end the war, then it is really important to set a deadline,” he added.
Zelensky said that Washington had proposed that Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet in the United States, probably in Miami, in a week’s time. “We have confirmed our participation.”
The Kremlin has insisted that Kyiv give up all of the Donbas region, about a quarter of which is still held by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine has refused to cede the territory.
“We stand where we stand,” said Zelensky, with the current frontline the basis for a ceasefire.
“The American side says they can guarantee the monitoring,” Zelensky said, referring to the trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi this week.
“There can be no end to the war without security guarantees. This is absolute certainty.”
He added that there were signs that some bilateral discussions between the US and Russia might impinge on Ukraine. “Ukraine will not support any such even potential agreements about us that are made without us,” Zelensky asserted.