KYIV — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday that Ukraine will not participate in the upcoming peace talks between Russia and the United States scheduled for Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. Zelenskyy made this declaration via video link from the United Arab Emirates, coinciding with his visit to the region amidst speculation regarding Ukraine’s involvement in the discussions.
During the Munich Security Conference over the weekend, U.S. officials revealed that Ukraine had been invited to the negotiations—a disclosure that took Kyiv by surprise. Zelenskyy clarified, “Ukraine will not take part in the negotiations. Ukraine did not know they were planned. And the visit to the region was planned long before the U.S. decided to meet Russia there.” He emphasized that any peace talks conducted without Ukraine’s presence would yield no meaningful outcomes.
Economic cooperation between Ukraine and UAE
On the same day, Ukraine formalized an economic cooperation partnership with the United Arab Emirates, which will facilitate free trade between the two nations. Zelenskyy remarked on his travel plans, stating he would head to Turkey on Tuesday, coinciding with the U.S.-Russia meeting in Riyadh, and would arrive in Saudi Arabia the following day. “So, once again, my visits have nothing in common with those talks. Although when I arrive in Saudi Arabia, I will ask his majesty what he knows about the topics of the talks,” he added.
Calls for broader participation in peace negotiations
Zelenskyy also addressed the ongoing discussions about renewing negotiations, acknowledging that it was previously viewed as inappropriate to engage with the aggressor during wartime. However, he welcomed the idea of including European leaders in the negotiations, along with “everyone who wants and who would give Ukraine real security guarantees and pressure Putin for peace.”
On the other hand, officials in Moscow and Washington have expressed skepticism regarding the participation of European nations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated, “It is not clear for me why European countries should participate in negotiations on Ukraine.” Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that the U.S.-Russia meeting will primarily focus on restoring the full spectrum of Russian-American relations, as well as preparing for potential negotiations regarding the Ukrainian situation and arranging a meeting between the two presidents.