The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, believes that excluding Ukraine from negotiations between the US and Russia regarding the cessation of war would be "very dangerous," and that discussions between Kyiv and Washington should continue to develop a ceasefire plan. He stated this in an interview with the Associated Press.
Zelensky emphasized that Russia is unwilling to participate in ceasefire negotiations or discuss any concessions that the Kremlin interprets as a loss while Russian troops hold the advantage on the battlefield.
The head of state believes that US President Donald Trump could bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table by threatening sanctions against the Russian energy and banking sectors, as well as continuing support for Ukrainian military efforts. In his view, "these are the nearest and most important steps."
Zelensky's remarks came after Donald Trump stated that American and Russian officials are "already talking" about ending the war. According to Trump, his administration has engaged in "very serious" discussions with Russia, though he did not specify the details.
"They may have their own relationships, but discussing Ukraine without us is dangerous for everyone," noted Zelensky.
The head of state shared that his team is in contact with the Trump administration, but these discussions are happening at a "general level," and he believes that personal meetings will soon take place to develop more detailed agreements. "We need to work harder on this," Zelensky said, adding that Trump was understandably focused on domestic issues in the first weeks following his inauguration.
According to Zelensky, during their first phone call in the presidential campaign, they agreed that if Trump won, they would meet to discuss the necessary steps to end the war. However, the planned visit of Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, was postponed "for legal reasons." This was followed by a sudden freeze on foreign aid, which effectively forced Ukrainian organizations to halt their projects.
"I believe that, first and foremost, we (should) hold a meeting with him, and that is important. And this, by the way, is what everyone in Europe wants," said Zelensky, referring to a "shared vision for a swift end to the war."
As the president noted, after the conversation with Trump, "we need to move to some format of dialogue with the Russians. And I would like to see the United States of America, Ukraine, and the Russians at the negotiating table. ... And, frankly, the voice of the European Union should also be there. I think that would be fair and effective. But how that will happen? I don't know."
Zelensky warned against allowing Putin to take "control" of the war, evidently referencing the repeated threats of escalation from Russia during President Joe Biden's administration.