Zelenskyy warns against excluding Ukraine from US-Russia peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asserted that excluding Ukraine from US-Russia negotiations aimed at ending the war would be “very dangerous.” He emphasized the importance of continued dialogue between Kyiv and Washington to develop a ceasefire plan.

Zelenskyy believes that former President Donald Trump could leverage sanctions on Russia’s energy and banking sectors, as well as ongoing support for Ukraine’s military, to bring Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.

“I think these are urgent and crucial steps,” he stated.

The comments came in response to Trump’s remarks made on Friday, in which he indicated that American and Russian officials are “already talking” about ending the conflict. The US President mentioned that his administration had engaged in “very serious” discussions with Russia, although he did not elaborate on the specifics.

“They may have their own relationships, but discussing Ukraine without Ukraine is dangerous for everyone,” Zelenskyy warned.

He also noted that his team is in contact with Trump’s administration, but clarified that discussions are currently taking place at a “general level.” He expressed hope for further in-depth agreements through personal meetings.

“We need to work more on this. Trump, for understandable reasons, was focused on domestic issues in the first weeks after his inauguration,” Zelenskyy added.