Ukraine is expected to engage in negotiations with both Russia and the United States, though the Kremlin has made it clear that any peace talks will be predominantly bilateral. This announcement was shared by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Thursday.
According to Peskov, “We, of course, understand that our main counterpart in this process is Washington.” He emphasized that Ukraine will be involved in the discussions, stating, “One way or another, of course, Ukraine will participate in the negotiations. Of course, there will be a bilateral Russian-American track of this dialogue, and a track that, of course, will be connected with Ukraine’s involvement.”
Recent developments in diplomatic talks
Peskov’s comments followed a significant 24-hour period where U.S. President Donald Trump had a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he indicated that negotiations to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine would commence soon. Notably, Trump’s public statements appeared to minimize Ukraine’s role in these discussions. Concurrently, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described reverting to Ukraine’s former borders as an “illusory goal.”
Later in the day, when a reporter inquired about Ukraine’s involvement in the upcoming talks, Trump responded ambiguously, saying, “It’s an interesting question,” and insinuated that Ukraine had chosen to enter a conflict with Russia following the invasion. He remarked, “I think they have to make peace. That was not a good war to go into.”
Reactions from Europe and Ukraine
The Trump administration’s approach to downplay Ukraine’s significance in the negotiations and to re-establish communications with Russia has caused unease among European leaders, generating a wave of criticism directed at Trump’s strategies. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas asserted on Wednesday night, “Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity are unconditional. Our priority must now be strengthening Ukraine and providing robust security guarantees.”
In the wake of his discussion with Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy maintained a positive outlook, describing their conversation as “meaningful” regarding peace initiatives. However, he adopted a more assertive stance the following day, stating that he and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had reached a consensus on the necessity of a unified stance from Ukraine, Europe, and the U.S. before any negotiations with Putin could take place. Zelenskyy further cautioned global leaders against placing trust in Putin’s assertions about his willingness to end the conflict.
“I also warned world leaders against trusting Putin’s claims of readiness to end the war,” Zelenskyy added.