Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with French media this week that he supports Russia attending a second World Peace Summit, which was held this year but failed.
Ukraine hosted a conference in Switzerland in June to discuss ways to end Russia’s two-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine, which began in earnest after nearly a decade of Russian colonization of Ukrainian territory and support for pro-Russian separatist groups in the east. Russia did not attend the conference, nor did China or Russia’s main allies in Ukraine. maximum trading partners. This “peace summit” brought together 92 nations to produce a vague roadmap document to peace that was later endorsed by some countries that did not attend.
Zelensky began pushing for a second peace summit shortly after the first one ended, and the Ukrainian leader has pledged to finalize a “peace action plan” before the November US presidential elections. That deadline has led to speculation that the departure of President Joe Biden, who has funded Zelensky’s war efforts with billions of dollars, could be a key determinant of Zelensky’s strategy.
The President of Ukraine interview The incident was reported by several French media outlets on Wednesday. Le Monde, Liberationand L’EquipeAsked about the possibility of directly negotiating with Russia at a proposed World Peace Summit, Zelensky expressed resignation, saying he could no longer oppose such a move, according to the report by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the state-run Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Forever war: Zelensky, Western leaders reject Putin’s ceasefire proposal at Swiss peace summithttps://t.co/Y02VYwBMrf
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) June 16, 2024
“Today the majority of the world says that Russia must take part in the second summit, otherwise no meaningful results will be achieved,” Zelensky said. Said“As long as the whole world wants them to participate in the negotiations, we cannot be against it.”
Zelensky’s comments are the latest in a series of signals suggesting Kiev is open to talks with Moscow. After meeting with Chinese Communist Party officials in late July, Zelensky’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, said Ukraine was “willing and ready for dialogue and negotiations with Russia,” a sharp departure from the tone of his previous comments on the issue.
“Today in China, I held detailed and in-depth discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the path to peace,” Kuleba said in a statement after his meeting with Wang. “We stressed that Ukraine needs a just and lasting peace, not an illusory peace. I am grateful that this position was echoed by my counterpart.”
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly argued that China, as a close ally of Moscow, could play a key role in ending the aggression. But China has refused to condemn the ongoing colonization of Ukraine or do anything to punish Russian aggression, and has maintained it is a neutral country willing to foster dialogue.
In remarks to French reporters on Wednesday, Zelenskiy reiterated his hope that China would play a larger role in the conflict.
“If China wants, it can force Russia to end this war,” Zelensky was quoted as saying.
Russian authorities have already rejection It has rejected an invitation to an international peace summit and refused to meet with Ukraine. The government of dictator Vladimir Putin is expected to hold talks in October 2022. Laws and Regulations President Zelensky passed a bill that effectively bans dialogue with Russia, posing a major obstacle to any negotiations.
“Russia is generally open to a negotiating process, but we first need to understand whether the Ukrainian side is ready,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in July in response to Kuleba’s comments about the talks. “From a practical point of view, we are open to achieving our goals through negotiations.”
“In addition to the general question of Zelensky’s legitimacy, there is also the question of the actual legal prohibition of any contacts or negotiations with the Russian side,” he continued. “So there is still a lot to be clarified in this regard.”
Zelensky denies possibility of Ukraine peace talks with Putin https://t.co/aGTRXAZa9U
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 27, 2023
Zelensky has spoken frequently about dialogue since meeting in late July with former President Donald Trump, who is seeking another White House spot in 2024. In a statement on social media, Zelensky said he had a friendly meeting with Trump and hoped to meet in person soon.
“Ukraine has always appreciated the US’s assistance in strengthening our capabilities to counter Russian terrorism. Russian attacks on our cities and villages continue every day,” Zelensky said in a statement on social media. “We agreed to meet personally with President Trump to discuss what steps should be taken to make peace just, truly and lasting.”
“I thank President Zelenskyy for his efforts, and as the next President of the United States, I intend to bring peace to the world and end a war that has taken so many lives and destroyed countless innocent families,” Trump said in a statement. “Working together, I believe the two sides can negotiate an agreement that ends the violence and paves the way for prosperity.”
“It is widely believed that Washington’s stance on the Ukraine crisis may change following US President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential election,” the state-run Chinese newspaper reported. Global Times Guessed The visit took place during President Kuleba’s visit to Beijing in July.
President Zelenskyy has backed up the peace talks with a military buildup. Ukraine reportedly received its first shipment of U.S.-designated F-16 fighter jets this week, which the Ukrainian government has long desired to counter the much larger Russian military. The Ukrainian government has not officially confirmed their arrival at the time of writing.
