Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that since the war is taking place in Ukraine, it is Ukraine that must determine who sits at the negotiating table in the peace process.
He made this statement while speaking with journalists at the Munich Security Conference, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
“The war is not in the United States, and thankfully, not in the European Union. But unfortunately, it is in Ukraine. Therefore, it is Ukraine that must decide who will be at the negotiation table. Our position must be the key one in this process,” Zelensky said.
He also stressed the importance of European leaders participating in peace talks.
“The voice of Europe [in the negotiations] must be equally strong. Yes, the United States is our key strategic partner, but the EU is also a major partner. European leaders have provided significant assistance. That’s why we must stand side by side with Europe,” Zelensky said.
He stressed that the era when major world powers dictated terms to Ukraine is over.
“I think everyone should get used to the fact that the approach of ‘tomorrow it’s happening there, and Ukraine will be there too,’ as was the case for many years, is no longer acceptable. That idea of ‘we are big and we will tell you where to be… you’ll read where we expect you’ seems unserious to me,” Zelensky said.
Regarding reports of a possible meeting in Saudi Arabia, Zelensky said he had not received any invitations or details about the format. “I haven’t seen anything, no invitations for a meeting,” he said.
Earlier, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that the U.S. and Europe should play distinct roles in the peace process, stressing that a lasting peace cannot be achieved without Europe’s involvement. He also warned against repeating the mistakes of the Minsk agreements, which failed to prevent Russia’s creeping aggression.
Meanwhile, U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg noted that European efforts to facilitate peace under the Minsk agreements had not succeeded, suggesting that the U.S. is unlikely to involve Europe directly in Ukraine’s peace negotiations.
The Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry has expressed its willingness to host a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on its territory.
2025-02-15 20:00:00 ,
